Pelant
by lebxeb
Summary: Epilogue. What happens after the dust has settled? Find out here.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: The characters portrayed here are not mine. Fox owns them. No infringement intended.

Summary: Teaser prequel chapter to proposed fanfic. Timeline: post season 7 finale.

Rating: T

**Pelant **

**Chapter I**

**Washington DC**

**10.31AM**

**Child Services Hearing**

**Final Appeal**

**Judge Frances Cutters presiding.**

Briskly, Judge Cutters came in through an unimpressive side door with a frosted glass panel in it, and all eyes shot in her direction. As she took her seat at the oak bench in her black robes of office, carrying a thick file under her right arm the clerk ordered, 'All rise!' Over the hurried scuffles as they stood he went on, 'Court in session. Judge Frances Cutters presiding.' Then he looked to the middle-aged, auburn judge for his next direction. Narrow-lipped she nodded absently, settling herself with a flourish, and opening her chunky file. Given permission, the clerk concluded the prelims with, 'Be seated.' More scuffling ensued and a breathless heavy silence descended again, like a blanket of icy fog over the non-descript courtroom.

Booth stared at Cutters sliced by shards of early summer sun from beside his lawyer, with a harrowed expression, and misting eyes. He could tell already the judgement she was about to deliver was going to obliterate their last clawing hope. He didn't know it, but everybody else saw he was trembling in his platinum grey Italian suit.

In an orange jumpsuit, cuffed and guarded from behind by two armed officers, Bones sat next to her life partner. She trembled too but the regulation custody jumpsuit was overly large, and concealed her terror under the coarse fabric. However, that irrepressible terror permeated her lightless irises, and invaded her weakened heart like a necrotising bacterium she'd long since tried to fight off. The evidence against her was compelling. To all intense purposes she did commit the murder - although she didn't.

Watching Cutters intently, Bones stared at her for a few moments, attempting to read her mind. Without that particular doubtable power she looked to a watery-eyed Booth. The gut wrenching epiphany she saw in his agonised expression confirmed it for her. Immediately her emotional control gave way: saltwater dripped like chilled rain from her eyes.

Feeling her look to him, Booth reached for her hand, which she took with a rattle of her cuffs. They laced sweaty fingers, and both looked back to the judge with her eyes skimming the pages, with scorching vomit in their throats. One of the stoic officers peered over their shoulders, and compassionately let their subtle contact slide - this time.

With no more support or evidence to give; Ange, Jack, Cam, Sweets and Max sat directly behind them with their failing hearts in their shoes. But their equally haunted eyes fixed on the chaotic mess Pelant had made of their family. Not only had Pelant orchestrated a perfect untraceable crime of homicide to implicate Bones. But he'd waved a savage dark wand to ruin them professionally and emotionally too. It was with impunity, unsurpassed genius and vindictiveness he'd ripped them to shreds bit by bit, and continued to do so. Limb by trembling limb; withered organs, sensitised flesh, aching bones and hollowed out souls: he'd tortured them without laying a slimy finger on them. If it wasn't so evil, motiveless and callous Pelant's rampage could be hailed as brilliant. It was a horrific scene of devastation: a double murder inside another.

Max knew his genius daughter worked and functioned, like most, in three dimensions but Pelant clearly used five. They'd been out-foxed, outmanoeuvred and outclassed. Max recalled at the first hearing the lawyer had ripped them apart and was also brilliant. He'd been obviously working from a five dimensional, well thought out script of deceptive questions. They were unprepared for those questions. The first judge, raised his brow intellectually on several occasions as they answered the questions honestly. But, they realised now, everything they said sounded contorted and completely irrational. The logic of their actions and decisions about Christine's care had been twisted. At the time Bones was inevitably emotional but trying not to be: which made her appear senseless, self-appointed and an unstable personality. She understood now that she sounded untrusting, superior in her arrogance and confused. Her lesson in humility was served freezing cold and hard to swallow. Max remembered her saying reflectively afterwards: "_I've been too self-assured, too myopic - we all have. Pelant is clearly a superior intellect and has been two steps, brilliantly, ahead of us these last few months. That's what's humbling, and terrifying. And now a reality we all have to respect._"

Max lent into Sweets ear; his subtle action tensed Lance, and he listened as Max informed, 'I'll be back…' Instantly Max got up, and walked out of the court on soft soles. With a furrowed brow Sweets watched him go, perplexed as to where he was going at this last critical stage of his daughters life. Thankfully, Sweets noted, the distraught couple didn't witness his flight or cowardly betrayal.

Jack caught his hasty exit too, then whispered to Sweets, 'He has to go more regularly now.' Sweets expression didn't change but he registered Jack's flat comment with a stony singular nod.

With a miniscule smile anyone would have ransomed for a full blown one if it would make a difference, Cutters looked up, clearing her throat. 'Morning,' she greeted, holding Bones' eyes for a few seconds then looked into Booth's eyes, seeing his jaw twitching. 'I apologise for keeping you waiting,' she said with a respectful nod to their agitated lawyer. Booth gripped Bones' hand tighter, which she reciprocated as much as she was able to. 'I've read the transcripts of the previous three appeals. I've also consulted in chambers with Doctor Sweets and your independent psychologist to clarify some details. I have reassessed all the evidence pertaining to your petition and the case history of the murder you're accused of Doctor Brennan. I understand a trial date has been set?'

Bones nodded, glancing to their lawyer, unable to reply herself. Her answered for her, 'Yes, Ma'am. September 12th.' Cutters nodded, then looked back to her pages. She picked one up, and sighed, with a slight head shake.

'My ruling will follow my next comments.' Cutters alternated her peering grey eyes between the couples and the sheet as she said, 'These are the facts I have before me… Doctor Temperance Brennan, you're being held on remand, incarcerated and await trial on murder charges. Bail was argued for but refused on the grounds you would be a flight risk and a possible danger to Christine Brennan. The danger spoken of, in my opinion, is moot in this appeal.' Bones nodded to concur with that elegant fabrication of evidence by Pelant, thankfully it hadn't washed with this judge. 'However, you are indeed incarcerated until such time as you are acquitted of these charges and unable to care for your daughter. Moreover, I cannot, in all good faith, leave Christine in the care of her father either: Seeley J Booth…' Bones gripped Booth hand, flicking her eyes to his, knowing the gnarling twisted lies that had torn him apart and hollowed out his soul. He looked to her a shadow of his former self: thin, with sunken chest and wilting shoulders, that were once wide and strong. It pained her immeasurably to see him this way.

'Mr Booth's irrational behaviour, lack of commitment to his first child, gambling addiction, and psychiatric assessments points to a career obsessed, regularly absent parent with concerning violent tendencies. A man who has admitted to the FBI psychiatrist he was severely physically abused by his father. It is also in evidence he needs constant reassurance by Doctor Sweets and others, that he is a good father. And more worryingly, that he fears he may _abuse _or _harm _his own child in times of stress. Despite councils vehement protestations of this - the evidence is clear…' Sweets recalled painfully being ripped to shreds by a well verse, slippery lawyer that argued at the first appeal how unfit Booth was to care for Christine. Unable to perjure himself and having kept personal notes on his computer on the subject: Sweets knew his testimony and evidence had hammered the last nail in Booth's heart. Seeds of doubt were sown. The old adage, _there is not smoke without fire_, had scalded the new parents and they'd had to give up their daughter.

Their feisty lawyer stood with an outraged, 'Ob-_jection_!'

Expecting it, Cutters calmly lifted her hand to silence and ease him. 'Mr Trope, no need to interrupt - I'm fully aware of your objections to that assessment. Please, let me finish…' Mr Trope retook his seat slowly, and looked to Booth, who quickly wiped his damp hollow cheek. 'As to _this _petition by you and Mr Max Brennan, the maternal grandfather, to take on Christine's immediate care in the family home: I like that idea…' Everybody held their breaths with their last vestiges of hope, and spirits rising. 'However, given Max Brennan's advanced age, his terminal illness and ongoing chemotherapy, and previous criminal record - I've come to the conclusion, I have to - _reject _this petition…' Bones looked to her lover, partner and trusted friend, her chin quivered, with cheeks awash. That they knew was the end: the very end of the line. Booth saw her lips part slightly as she drew a feeble, shallow breath, knowing she had to continue breathing. Instead of it being a subconscious instinct Booth knew it was a forced one.

Everybody else sagged as their vital organs faltered, and hung their heads: not with shame but with sorrow and defeat. They'd all been scythed in half by Pelant's deviousness. He'd known how to ruin them all and wielded the sabre with precision and it seemed with minimal exertion.

Cutters, seeing the grief on the parents faces, concluded sympathetically, 'This is all about what is _best _for Christine in these difficult circumstances… Therefore, for the _protection _of Christine Brennan, aged three months, I rule: she's be taken into State care immediately, until her mother, Doctor Temperance Brennan is acquitted of all charges. Or when Mr Seeley Booth's continued counselling reports convince me otherwise of his mental and behavioural improvements.'

Their defeated lawyer stood to ask, 'Your honour, may I make a request - beg the court?' Cutters nodded for him to continue, closing the file. 'Christine is just next door with a social worker appointed by the State. Before Doctor Brennan returns to the penitentiary may she be allowed a few moments with her daughter?'

With mixed feelings for this proposed reunion and inevitable heart wrenching parting, their friends held their breaths yet again.

Judge Cutters acquiesced, 'I am willing to allow that. You may bring her in...' The clerk left the court to notify the social worker and to bring back Christine.

Bones and Booth took the brief opportunity to speak to each other. Unfortunately they had nothing to say to one another. Their world had fallen apart and no words could make better what had been dragged away from them. Booth was humiliated; his father's abuse of him now a matter of public record. His position as a Special Agent hung in the balance - he was still under investigation by the Bureau. His one true love had a possible life sentence hanging over her too which he could see was draining her of her beauty. And now he had to witness her utter and complete desolation again as she said goodbye to her daughter indefinitely. The cruellest and deepest cut was that he was only allowed to hold his daughter under supervision by beady, suspicious eyes.

Booth could see the agony in her for her daughter, and felt weak and hapless. She knew all too well what it was and how it felt to be abandoned: to be cared for by others - not family. The legacy of scars it could leave and the effect those deep wounds had on future relationships he knew could haunt his precious child.

Staring into her harrowed, gaunt face: gently, slowly Booth rested his brow on hers, and squeezed her hand. 'I'm ok - I'll be ok if you are,' she whispered, sounding distant and unconvincing. He rocked his head on her brow in reply, equally unconvincingly.

The double doors of the court swung wide as the clerk trotted back in. Everybody looked around to him as he scurried toward Judge Cutters. He whispered something over the bench to her, then they all saw her take a deep breath.

Standing, Cutters said gravely, 'There's been and incident.' Booth and Bones stood immediately, followed by gasps from Ange and Cam. 'Unfortunately the social worker looking after your daughter has been found unconscious - she has a head wound.' Bones swapped her weight, and took a ragged breath to fortify herself. Booth set his jaw, feeling the air in his lungs expel in a gush. 'Christine is not with her… We're searching the building now.'

Bones snapped her eyes to Booth's, not daring to vocalise what she suspected and hoped had happened in front of the judge. Then she saw another type of terror flash through Booth's eyes. He asked her silently, was it her absent father that took Christine or was it their malicious nemesis?

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

A/N: Worth continuing with or not? Hugs, Lebxeb XX

Doctor Temperance Brennan

Personal memoir.

I watched intently, almost passively, as his face crumpled. So intently that I didn't take in what was happening to me or where these events were leading us all. I could see in his dampening eyes the surrender, helplessness and pain he was trying to hide from me. But I could see he was terrified of what was to become of our torn family. As the court officer was putting on the cuffs I realised this wasn't going to end well for any of us.

We all make unilateral choices for our families and loved ones. At the time we think those choices are the right ones - or at least we think they are. Me make them with a foundation of logic, reason and Christine's best interests at heart. But no one suspected was those choices and decisions could make her personality look fractured - and dangerously so.

I detest that phrase, ' into care', for it is a shadow of what it shall be for her - this I know for a fact. There was very little care taken with me when that innocuous phrase was passed down to me all those years ago. Where will she sleep tonight? Will she sleep at all? Will she ever know she was not abandoned by us - her parents?


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **Fox owns Bones. The characters portrayed here are not mine. No infringement intended.

**Summary: **Pelant's formidable genius has reaped havoc on our dynamic duo.

**Rating: **K (for a couple of mild profanities.)

**Thanks: **to those that _made _me write this second chapter. Its all your fault. *insert wry smile*

**Pelant**

**Chapter II**

**Washington DC**

**Judge Cutters Chambers**

**Noon**

'This doesn't look good on either of you. If this was planned you need to tell me now - _right _now,' Cutters warned with tight lips, and a lancing stare to the partners sat opposite her across her desk. She was clearly ticked off this had happened on her watch, Booth noted.

He glanced to Bones, then answered Cutters, 'Do we look as though we knew this would happen, Judge?' Cutters bristled, and stood, snapping their hefty file shut.

'Don't take that tone with me, _Mr _Booth,' she scolded, demoting him with a withering glance. Mr Trope hovered at the back of the charged room, and grimaced for his clients, knowing Judge Cutters, although petite, had a formidable personality. She didn't suffer fools or take back chat. 'I'll ask you again - did you know Max was planning to abduct Christine?'

'Of course not!' Booth chomped, then accused, made suspicious of everyone and thing, 'And why do you _assume _it was Max that took Christine and not Pelant?'

'I ask the questions!' Cutters barked at Booth: everybody else jerked in their skins. There was a snap of silence then Cutters calmed on a slow exhale. She stood directly in front of Bones, and studied her harrowed face for a few moments, then asked, 'Did you suspect your father would do this, Doctor Brennan?'

Bones' distant bloodshot stare shifted from the view outside the window she wasn't seeing, over Cutters shoulder to pierce her eyes. After several elongated heartbeats, Bones said, 'I plead the fifth amendment - as is my right...' Booth's jaw dropped as he looked incredulously into her parchment-like profile. He knew her clamming up was, at this point, tantamount to sending the message she may have known. Ange, Sweets and Jack exchanged anxious looks with one another.

'You plead the _fifth_,' Cutters confirmed, sounding exasperated by her refusal to answer her questions.

'I do,' she reiterated softly, then with a trembling timbre she said, 'Take me back to prison, please.' Bones stood, but swayed slightly. Her guards reacted, and held her fast by her upper arms. Booth, still stunned, weak and confused managed to catch her hand to steady her too. Forcing her muscles to stiffen, Bones looked down to him with no strength in her grip. She didn't find any solace in his fractured eyes nor he in hers. She reasoned whatever she said it would be twisted and wrenched out of all proportion, just like before. Logically it made sense to stay silent; it was the only avenue open to her now, and she hoped Booth understood that.

Cutters took pity on the new mother. 'Sit down, Doctor Brennan,' she ordered but in an understanding, generous way. She could see the rivulets of tears tracking down her cheeks yet again. Although she appeared in control of her underlying emotions her body was bitterly betraying her, Cutters noted. 'Sit - please,' she urged again. 'Get her some water.' Bones sat with assistance from her guards, then resumed her vacant stare out of the window, after flashing her cheeks dry with a swipe of her quivering free palm. A glass of water was hastily offered to her, but not taken. Cutters sighed loudly, contemplating her next move. Booth squeezed Bones' hand, desperate for her to respond to his touch, but she didn't - she couldn't.

'Drink the water, Bones - _please_,' he urged softly. Bones didn't react or appear to hear his plea. Booth felt his anxiousness turn to anger, seeing her disconnecting from everything around her. His beautiful fragile Bones was attempting to cut off from her emotions; trying to dis-communicate herself from them because he knew she couldn't bare them. She was retreating from him, from her love of Christine and the dire situation. The walls he'd blasted away over the years with his love and tenderness, which she used to protect herself were, brick by brick, being re-cemented into place. And that terrified him. He couldn't stay silent any longer.

Booth started his frustrated tirade with the glaring irony, 'You know, this is pretty messed up! Social services are _supposed _to protect Christine from us, what you _think _we are - and do what's best for her. We're sitting here when Pelant gloats at his victory and may have taken Chrissy but you're asking us _irrelevant _questions.'

'I just need some facts.'

Riling, Booth shot to his feet, pointing to the file on her desk which listed their litany of supposed parental shortcomings, emotional flaws and damming psycho babble. 'Facts? Don't make me laugh! Everything you've read about us is bullshit! Bones _didn't _commit this murder - I'm _not _a bad or potentially violent father. Pelant is screwing with us - and _you!_'

Walking back behind her desk, Cutters barked, 'Enough! Calm down, Mr Booth.' The tension in the chamber heightened as everyone was infused by Booth adrenalin surge.

Incensed, Booth took a ragged breath. 'Calm down - _calm _down? Don't _insult _me, Judge Cutters,' Booth sneered, just as Mr Trope came to his side in preparation to curtail his rant, but Booth went on regardless, 'My Bones may appear to be an overprotective mother. Yeah, she inspected Chrissy soiled diapers, _once_, and had a few run ins with holier-than-thou nursery staff - she's a scientist and scientist do weird stuff. But that doesn't make her a _bad _mother it makes her a doting one. She's been implicated in the murder but its all fabricated evidence - we all know that!' Trope tugged gently at Booth's arm as he stood to continue to make him sit down, but Booth snagged his arm out of his grip. Cutters retook to her chair, narrowing her eyes at him, scrutinizing his wild expression. 'We just have to prove it and we _will_.' He glanced around to the nervous squints, gesturing towards them to confirm they would. Ange Jack and Sweets nodded at the judge to assure they wouldn't rest until Bones was cleared. 'And I'm not gonna _hurt _my daughter - I _love _her - I'd gladly trade my life for both of them.'

'I don't doubt that, Mr Booth. But you must understand I have a duty of care to Christine. We must let the legal process take its course with regard of the murder charge. I made my decision on the evidence I was presented with.'

'Right - well - I hope for _your _sake Max _has _taken her because if Pelant has she's probably already _dead_…' Booth paused when he sensed Bones flinch beside him as that goring truth sliced another fillet of flesh from her bones. Realising his error, and repentant for inadvertently hurting her more, Booth slumped down with a dejected sigh beside her, and retook her trembling hand. 'Oh. God, Bones, I'm sorry, _so _sorry,' he begged her forgiveness for airing what they were both thinking. 'I-I couldn't protect you or Chrissy…' he whimpered his failure through his tears, kissing her limp hand scores of times. Bones snapped her eyes to him, watching him disintegrate, and feeling his tears splash onto her skin. She repeatedly gasped softly for breath as the pain made it difficult for her to breathe. Bones attempted to alleviate his agony with a kiss to his brow but was thwarted as a watchful, insensitive guard prevented her from that simple empathetic gesture.

All eyes, except Booth's and Bones' snapped to Cam as she clipped into the morbid chambers, and announced, visibly relieved, 'I've reviewed the security footage. Max - it was Max that took Christine…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! **

**A Week Later**

**Correctional Facility & Remand Centre**

**Interview Room**

Scared of seeing her but keeping his shock of her deteriorating condition accelerating at a frightening speed, Booth twitched on the chair. He waited for Bones to be brought in through the locked doors that were opened one by one and relocked behind her again. The toughened glass, that surrounded the room on three sides, allowed him to see her slow progress towards him. Trope sat beside him, scanning his notes and files oblivious to his distress. In a double checked and x-rayed bag on the table were the items Bones had requested last week as they had a tearful, rushed goodbye in Cutters chambers.

Flanked by two stoic female guards Bones reached the last door before she entered the room. She looked into his eyes through the glass, and tried a smile as the clanking of the bolts shot and jolting buzzers sounded. He knew she could read him as well as he could her. Her smile, a pale imitation of one, said he looked to her as wretched as she felt. He didn't have good news to impart, and knew she understood that. He twitched again, and stood agitatedly as she came in, cuffed as if she was already tried, convicted and sentenced, although that possibility was months away yet.

'Hi,' he said, unable to say more without giving away his anxiety. She smiled a little wider, flicking her eyes over him. She saw his jeans hung too loose on his hips, and the leather jacket he normally packed out swamped him. Her physical assessment was that he'd lost a minimum of seven pounds in weight, which implied he wasn't eating and that his worry was eating away at him like a cancer. They usually feed off each other to keep themselves healthy but how could they when separated in such a cruel way? she pondered.

On entering the room, they got lost in each others watery eyes. 'You've lost weight,' she said softly, sitting, after being released from her handcuffs. Booth immediately reached for her hands, and gripped them, adding a smile to his loving touch.

He didn't bother lying. 'Yeah - cos I miss your tuna pasta bake and pancakes. They don't taste the same when I make 'em.' She nodded, and smiled a little harder at his sweet compliment that was meant to deflect her from his deterioration. It didn't work so he moved on with, 'How've you been?'

'Not too bad,' she lied, straightening her spine. Booth tilted his head for her not to, so she didn't. Relenting, sagging slightly, she told him the truth, 'Getting sufficient sleep is a challenge as my cellmate is a chronic masturbator and keeps me awake - she cries a great deal too. The nourishment is not to my liking either. My apparent celebrity has caused a few problems as well, but I'm dealing with that.' She saw the shock her brevity caused in his eyes and in Trope's, so stopped spewing those facts, then asked, 'How's the case going?'

Booth sagged. 'Nothing new to report. But they haven't stopped searching for something to clear you. Cam's sent you a letter - it should be here tomorrow.' Bones nodded, dropping her eyes to their hands, to shield him from her shrivelling disappointment. 'They _will _find something, Bones, keep the faith,' he encouraged, but seeing her tears brimming, he changed the subject again, 'Here - I brought the things you asked for.' He pushed the bag towards her with one hand, not daring to let go of her other, for fear she would slip away for good.

'Thank you.' Then she clarified, 'I'm not starting to smoke, Booth, it's a bargaining chip, you understand?' He smiled, nodding. 'I've observed several commodities are worth investing in for barter. The chocolate, stamps and soft toilet tissue too.' Booth noted her distant tone and haunted expression as she spoke, which concerned him greatly that there was obviously something going on that she wasn't going to tell him about. His mind ran riot trying to figure out what it was. 'Its not unlike being back in care homes when I was an adolescent. The similarities are striking actually. It's taken me a few weeks to adjust.' Booth felt his eyes burn too now at that admission. Bones looked back up from their entwined hands, to say with a wry smile, 'I write letters to fill the time. The library isn't very well stocked but I do know who Kim Kardashian is and who is doing well in the X Factor.' Booth huffed a weak chuckle at her pop culture shock and gentle humour, which he knew was for his benefit. 'And I'm learning to use profanities at appropriate times during conversations with other inmates…'

'Temperance,' Trope began to interject softly. She looked to him for the first time since she entered the room, but still holding Booth's hands. 'I'm sorry to interrupt but we haven't got long. We just wanted to fill you in on what's happening.' Bones nodded for him to continue, feeling Booth's eyes scrutinising her. 'The FBI has been looking for Max, obviously and…' he paused when Bones shook her head.

She told them with solemn confidence, 'They won't find him.' Trope and Booth exchanged glances. 'I don't expect he's even in the country anymore.'

Trope said gently, 'He could never have gotten Christine out without a passport for her.'

'You don't know Max - how resourceful and cunning he is. I cling to the hope that he's taken her abroad somewhere. The further he's away from Pelant the safer it is for him _and _Christine.' Hearing her say that Booth's heart crumpled, and his eyes burned. Trope too dropped his eyes from hers to his file. Seeing their deflective body language and with her heart stalling because of it, she asked, 'What is it - what do you know?'

Booth lifted his head with tears blistering his corneas, feeling her quickening heartbeat in her fingers. 'Max checked into a private clinic in Mexico City yesterday for treatment for his cancer. He's very sick, Bones,' he told her gravely. The information struck her like searing lightening out of thunder cloud, and stopped her heart. She shook her head to clear it of the shock of the withering blow.

'Wa-was Christine - was Christine with him?' she stuttered desperately, with her lungs screaming for oxygen. Booth squeezed her hands in a futile attempted to instil courage. Then to Bones' extended horror, bleary-eyed, Booth slowly shook his head which released a tear onto his sallow cheek…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Dr Temperance Brennan**

**Personal Memoir.**

Last week drifted by in a haze of tears and crushing pain but I've held on to one glimmer of light. The light was the hope that my father was caring for our daughter until I was free, or Booth was exonerated. I took comfort and strength in that she was with family and safe, and I know Booth did too. Neither of us wished for the FBI to track him down; knowing if they did Pelant would know too - somehow. I knew Max had risked incarceration and his own life by taking her into his care. It was undoubtedly an act of pure love and completely altruistic.

Max knew several things which I feared the most. One: Pelant could get to our daughter as easily as he's ruined our lives. And two: he also knew how devastated I would be if she were taken in to care. My worst nightmare had become a reality and Max had only one choice. By abducting her it was his way of proving he would do anything for me and his grandchild. He was making amends for a decision made for the protection of me and Russ a long time ago. Until that moment I had never truly forgiven him for what I had to endure. But now, I shame myself for my stubbornness, because I understand completely why that choice was made, and it was the _right _one. When our offspring are threatened, we'd lay our lives down, we'd give up our freedom, and bear the unbearable pain of separation as long as we know our progeny are safe. It wasn't a cruel abandonment but a loving lifesaving gift which hurt my parents as much as me and Russ. This is the lesson I have learned and fully comprehend now.

I understand too the personal sacrifice Max was making when he snatched Christine away. He couldn't continue treatment of his cancer while on the run, therefore inevitably shortening his own life expectancy. And I'm certain Max understood that Pelant held all the cards, to use my darling Booth's expression - which forced his hand.

Now however, after what I was informed of this afternoon - I find I'm numb. I have no more tears to shed - I'm a shell devoid of logic and reason: a washed out, empty fleshy vessel. My adoring father is dying and I can't be with him, my beloved daughter lost to us and I cannot breathe thinking about her, and my partner, my darling Booth is inconsolable - as am I.

I ache to hold Christine in my arms again.

We're locked in, the lights have gone out but I am unable to sleep. A billion unanswerable questions plague my thoughts and torment my mind. My cellmate is attempting to blot out her pain by the only means available to her. I can't blame her or chastise because in such a dark cold place that is her only refuge and escape.

If I knew how to pray, and to whom, I would - if it would make any difference. But I know, I'm sure my Booth will to his God for all of us tonight. Oddly I take some comfort in that knowledge and certainty. Tomorrow I look forward to letters on the case's progress from Cam and a promised visit from Ange and Jack. So there are still reasons to wake in the morning.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

A/N: Phew... Do you trust me enough to read another chapter? Hands up, I'm taking names… Hugs, Lebxeb. XX. Twitter: Bexbel


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **Fox Corp owns the rites to Bones & the characters portrayed here. No infringement intended.

**Summary: **The torment continues for our duo but is there a glimmer of light ahead?

**Rating: **K+ note rating increase - just to be safe.

**Thanks: **To Gemma, Lipush, parmr, BonesBooth, PARMR for the encouragement I couldn't personally thank you for and for putting your hands up - said I was taking names… *wink*

**Pelant**

**Chapter III**

Jack and Ange screeched to a halt outside Booth and Bones' house. Ange was out of the Mini before Jack had turned off the engine, and was storming up the path like a fall gale. She rapped hard on the door with a face like a smacked ass. Jack trotted up behind her just as Booth came to the door. Forcing a regulation smile onto his lips, he opened his mouth and door to welcome them.

'You have _got _to get her out of there!' Ange raged, stomping passed Booth en route to the kitchen. Booth snapped his mouth shut, not bothering to reply as Jack barged over the threshold too, adding a severe nod to wholeheartedly agree with his wife. Booth took a deep breath, and closed the door, then rushed to catch up with them. Ange was placing a hotpot in the oven she'd brought with her when he arrived. 'She's lost way too much weight - she not sleeping - she's been picked on by some gang _bitch _- and her cellmate is psychotic…' Jack cut in over her putting Ange on pause.

'She looks terrible, Booth. She's withdrawn emotionally too. It a _fecking _train wreck. We gotta do _something_ - what can we do?'

Depressed even more, Booth slumped to the nearest seat around the table. Ange began pouring wine from the chiller into three glasses. 'I know,' he said, hanging his head despondently. 'I think she gonna pine away in there. I've got Trope working on a transfer - but Bones says she doesn't want one. She says she ok.' Booth knew their shock at her emotional and physical deterioration had started to bite, and panicked them like it had him.

'BULL! She _losing _it, Booth. I _know _Bren...' Ange delivered the wine, while taking a good look over Booth too. She judged he didn't look much better than Bones; he was gaunt, unshaven and still had on what he wore two days ago. It looked to her as if he'd hadn't slept either and when he had, it was in the clothes he still wore. Noting his distress, she sagged, then sat close next to him, rubbing her hand over his back. He looked up into her sympathetic eyes. 'God - I'm sorry, Booth,' she apologised softly for her rant. 'You look like crap too. I can't imagine what you're going through.' He dropped his eyes away again to the glass, fingering the stem absently. Jack took a seat opposite him, grimacing as Ange pulled Booth into her chest for a hug. He went gratefully, slowly as she rested her cheek on his head in a gesture of deep sympathy.

Although he could've stayed in her warm affectionate embrace forever, Booth knew he couldn't give in to his emotions and had to stay strong, at least outwardly. So he drew in a breath, and sat back up, saying, 'Thanks, Ange - I'm doing ok.' Ange cocked an unconvincing brow at him, quirking her lips. Booth ignored that with, 'Trope is a good guy but he reckons a transfer is unlikely and even if he could get one - she may end up in a worse place. He's petitioned the Governor to at least get her into a single cell. But that seems unlikely too with the over crowding. I've called in a few favours but when you've been accused of stuff it's amazing how many people that owe you, say all the right things but start _refusing _your calls.' Ange huffed indignantly, swilling Pinot down her throat. Booth returned to fingering the crystals stem, watching his fingers idly play. 'Agent Shaw is the only one who's keeping in touch with me and informs me how the investigation into my record is going. I feel sorry for Sweets - he's distraught about what happened on the stand.'

'I bet. He _screwed _you over,' Jack snorted, still angry with him.

'He didn't mean to, Jack,' Booth defended him generously. 'He couldn't lie under oath - not with the evidence of what I'd discussed with him on his hard drive. If he had it would have ended his career. I just thought it was a private conversation between us and off the record. God knows how Pelant knew about that.'

Ange chipped in, 'Well, its obvious - he hacked into Sweets computer somehow. That would be a piece of cake for him. I've just got to get the evidence and I _will_, Booth. If I can prove he got into the FBI mainframes again, we've _got _him.' Booth wasn't convinced by her bravado.

'He's too good to leave a trail, Ange - or you would have nailed him by now.'

Seeing Booth wilt again, Jack hastily changed the subject. 'I've been working on something,' he informed edgily, slyly glancing to Ange. Half-heartedly, Booth looked up to him from under his lashes. 'We found something subcutaneously in the corpse. I know it sounds kinda X File-ish, but it _was _a microchip, Booth.' Booth straightened his spine, listening intensely now. 'At first Cam thought it was just shrapnel but on closer inspection it was definitely high-tech. We have no idea how it got in the thigh or when it was placed there - but it was.'

Booth asked, 'Was?'

Jack sighed glumly, glancing to Ange yet again. She got up to check on the hotpot, leaving Jack to explain. 'Yeah - _was_,' he confirmed. 'It had all the similarities of a microchip, made of the same particulates _but _it had almost dissolved. It obviously had a shelf-life.'

'What do you think it was - a tracking chip?'

'Possibly -. It was much smaller than one of those though,' Jack hedged, seemingly deliberately playing down this fresh piece of evidence in over a month.

Booth snagged his head back, with his eyes widening, clearly surprised by Jack's lack of enthusiasm. This was indeed a huge break in the case, he realised, so had to ask, 'Do you know what that…?' Jack lifted his palm suddenly to silence him, and shook his head for him not to ask his burning question.

Lancing Booth's eyes with his sky blues, Jack reached into his pocket, and drew out a pad and pen. Booth felt his heart start to race, as he watched Jack scribble on the pad, as he said ordinarily, 'Don't get your hopes up, Booth. Its gone - completely dissolved… Is that hotpot ready yet, Ange - I'm starving?'

Booth peered at what Jack was writing. Even upside down he could read what he'd written. He read: "_I'm NOT paranoid. TRUST me, G Man. HE could be listening in. Chip is safe. We haven't told Bren. She maybe chipped too!"_

Incredulously Booth snapped his eyes up to Jack's again, who nodded slowly, tight-lipped with narrowed eyes, to confirm what he'd written. 'Do you mind if I smoke, Booth?' Jack asked, getting out a lighter from his back pocket.

'No - not at all. Knock yourself out.' Jack then carefully ripped off the paper from the pad, and burnt it up to ashes.

'Dinner's ready! Oh. Jack, put that out - I'm dishing up now,' Ange piped up, coming over to the table with a bolstering smile, and a sexy wink for Booth. For the first time in days Booth felt his lips curl into a smile to acknowledge her. 'You _promised _me you wouldn't smoke again, Jack.' Booth thought Ange had already won the Oscar for her effortless acting.

Jack replied to her, 'I know, Babe, but it's the stress - I haven't changed my patch. Wow, that looks edible for a change.' Ange clipped Jack around the head, then kissing Booth's whiskery cheek, then she started to serve him a generous portion of her famous hearty beef hotpot.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! **

**Two Hours Later**

With his stomach comfortably full, freshly showered and with a towel secured around his hips, Booth looked at his foamy jaw in the steamy mirror. With a razor in hand, prepared to scrap a weeks worth of stubble away, he smiled at his misted reflection. He still had a thousand questions to ask Jack and Ange but not tonight, he knew he had to be patient. They'd risked enough for now but at least he had something to do tomorrow apart from worry and twiddle his thumbs, he thought.

Wiping the mirror with his free hand, he leant in, and peered into his dark rimmed eyes, noting how old and tired he looked. Tonight, he hoped, he could have a few fretless hours of sleep. But instantly he felt abysmally guilty for thinking that when he knew Bones didn't have that luxury. Then his thoughts immediately turned to Chrissy and where she was sleeping tonight and if she was being watched over. Those thoughts didn't take long to bring a wrench to his heart, saltwater to his eyes and fear toss his stomach. Christine wasn't weaned yet, as Bones was still breastfeeding, and he wondered, did her unknown carer know that? Then more harrowingly, he suddenly realised Bones lactated regularly, even when working. That thought brought with it yet another heartbreaking thought; she must have had to deal with her milk leaking then drying up and the emotional turmoil of that inevitability. The fact that, with everything that had happened to them, he hadn't even asked her how she dealt or felt about that, compounded his distress. The guilt of his thoughtlessness, as he perceived it, pushed those brimming tears over his lids. Despite his brief euphoria about the break in Bones' case it now slipped down his cheeks to mingle with the foam. Without checking his tears, he looked to the razor in his hand for a few moments, seeing the glint of silver piercing his pupil. Then lifting his chin, he slowly placed the triple blades against the skin on his throat.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Simultaneously **

**Mexico City**

Max blinked open his eyes, then focused them out of his window. He could see the tops of skyscrapers in the distance glaring back the strong sunlight cocooned by an indigo cloudless sky. No sooner as he'd remembered where he was and why, the door to his pristine, glossy room opened. In walked his surgeon with a handsome smile, and a couple of pretty nurses in his elegant wake.

'Max, did you sleep well?' he asked, with a secure, heavy south American twang that sounded like he'd just drunk liquid velvet. A nurse fussed gently with his drips and sheets, while the other assisted him to sit up.

'Great, thanks.' Then Max asked his burning question, 'How did it go, Miguel?'

'Veeery, well - very well. We got it all,' he reassured, sitting next to him in the chair beside his bed, and crossing his legs. 'We've started the chemotherapy, as you can see.' He pointed to the clear liquid in the drip bag that was draining into a canular in the back of his hand. You maybe a _little _uncomfortable for a few days but just push the morphine button to feel better.' Max nodded as one of the nurses placed the said button close to his left hand on top of the covers, and thanked her with a smile. The nurses left quietly, leaving them alone. 'As we discussed this treatment is radical and intended to give you the best and quickest recovery ti…' Miguel paused when Max interrupted, anxious to know.

'How is she?' Miguel grinned hard and wide, patting the back of his hand, again in a very reassuring way.

'Do not concern yourself, Max - she is healthy and happy,' he explained with almost a flippant air.

'Did you get that _thing _out of her?'

With a serious glare of certainly now, Miguel dropped his casual smile, and stated convincingly, 'Yes, and its destroyed just like you insisted.' Max sagged, visibly relieved by that knowledge, and nodded. Miguel added, 'Yours too…' He saw his patient's jaw flicker with renewed tension.

'I have to move on soon,' Max informed reflectively, looking out of the window again to the skyscrapers. 'How long before I can leave? Pelant must know I'm here 'n' Booth'll be coming to find us.'

'Max, you've _just _had surgery, the chemo will weaken you for a few days, you _must _rest.'

Dismissive of his care, Max shook his head. 'I'll take it with me - how long?' Max insisted on a definite timeframe. Miguel sighed, shaking his head slightly at his determination. Impatient, Max asked again with more bite, 'How _long_?'

Miguel held his lancing, expectant stare for a few heartbeats, then made a clinical judgment he hoped would satisfy, 'Minimum, two days - three would be better.'

'Two it is. Did you book the flights to Hawaii?' Miguel gave him a solid nod to confirm he had indeed done as requested with his credit card. 'Great - good. What's the weather like this time of year in Italy?' Miguel snagged his head back, clearly completely confused. Seeing him perplexed, Max grinned slyly, pushing the morphine button, as he instructed, 'Get us on one of those _fancy _cruise ships - take the cash from my drawer…' Then he closed his eyes on a soft sigh, relaxing into his cool soft pillow.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! **

**A/N: **OooOOoo. The plot thickens, dun-it? Will Booth leave Bones lolling in prison and head out to Mexico or is he bleedin' out onto his bathroom floor? Has Bones got some sort of microchip in her and when was it planted? And what is that '_gang bitch' _doing to her? Will; Jack, Cam and Ange prevail over Pelant and is he listening in or is Jack _really _paranoid? These and other question tobe answered in the next instalments of **Pelant**. Hugs, Lebxeb. Twitter: Bexbel. BTW: Reviews are _always _welcomed. XX.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **Fox Corp owns the rites to Bones & the characters portrayed here. No infringement intended.

**Summary: **The torment continues for our duo but is there a glimmer of light ahead?

**Rating: **K+ note rating increase - just to be safe.

**Thanks: For all the support and encouragement.**

**Pelant**

**Chapter IV**

**Correctional Facility & Remand Centre**

**08.01AM**

Breakfast, Bones had discovered, was the only meal of the day that she could potentially eat plenty of. It usually consisted of cereals or gloopy porridge oats and fruits. Unfortunately her appetite was still to return but most days she forced herself to eat something. It was normally a noisy, bustling start to the day too. Most cliques would gather together on the long bench tables and discuss the nights events. They'd gossip about other inmates or the guards, she'd observed. More often than not something was the _big _story; a suicide attempt, an assault, or a drugs bust. The gossip would start in the trudging queue for food, then as word spread, the whole canteen became a bubbling crescendo of female voices; slurped bitter chicory coffee and the clanking of plastic trays and tin cups. The cacophony often jangled Bones' nerves so she rarely lingered over her meals.

Bones wasn't in one of those cliques and although there was protection from the nastier groups if she were, she knew she had a better chance on her own. So she listened to the gossip, but never commented, preferring to keep her head and eyes down, and herself to herself. She was well known enough as it was, unfortunately.

On her first morning in the canteen line, naively, she'd had a conversation with a seemingly pleasant young woman who'd asked her who she was, and why she was there. Bones had been open and honest with the friendly girl but she'd learnt rapidly that she was a scout for one of the top cliques. In her emotional turmoil she wasn't thinking clearly and gave away too much detail. It turned out to be a huge error of judgment and one she had already regretted. Somebody knowing who she was, or at least somebody that assisted law enforcement, had marked her out as a potential target.

Now she took great care to whom she spoke; stayed away from areas which left her physically vulnerable, and attempted to find allies or potential protectors amongst a small band of women within her block. It was a self-preservation technique that made logical sense to her. She'd made it known, quietly, she had commodities to barter with or share. That simple ploy had worked for the most part or so she assumed.

Bones took her seat anywhere that was free, away from the noisier parts of the canteen, which were usually in the centre of the hall. On the peripheries stood the watchful guards and the general crescendo grew as inmates filled up the hall. It wasn't long before her cellmate, Tasmin, joined her, to sit opposite, with a meagre portion of cornflakes and a piece of brown bread on her tray. Bones vaguely noted she didn't have much more on her tray then her, as she sipped her lukewarm bitter coffee.

'My lawyer's coming today,' Tasmin informed, sounding excited, picking up the slice of bread, and folding it in half. Bones grinned, with a high chin nod, to acknowledge the fact: although she'd already told her twice today. 'You've probably got someone coming today too - you've _always _got people visiting.' Tasmin then chomped on the slice of bread, and began to chew with her mouth open like a heifer masticating grass.

'No - not today,' Bones corrected, then took another sip of coffee, zoning out over the rim of her mug, ignoring her unappetizing breakfast.

Tasmin had a shifty look around them, then leant a little over the table to whisper, 'I heard Fletcher got _marked _last night before lock down in C block. She's in the infirmary.'

'Is she?' Bones said absently, her gaze locked on nothing over Tasmin's shoulder. Her mind was already working on the thousandth question of the day since she woke. Ninety percent of those questions strongly featured Christine and Booth, which made her empty stomach roll uncomfortably, even putting her off the coffee. Bones didn't realise that Tasmin was twittering on with this mornings gossip as it was drowned out in the incessant din. Bones put the cup down on the tray, after forcing her eyes to move, flicked her eyes over her tray, but saw nothing she wanted or that held her interest.

Bones missed the delusional rambling of her cellmate, 'It means there's an opening now, right? I might have a _shot_ at getting in.' Seeing her cellmate's distant expression, Tasmin lost her expectant smile, and sagged. 'You're not listening again…' she accused, tapping Bones' tray with a plastic spoon to get her attention back to her. Bones snapped her head up, and quirked her lips in an half-hearted apology.

'I apologise, Tasmin, I'm very distracted today. Excuse me.' Bones got up with her tray, adding, 'I hope you receive positive news from your lawyer. I'll see you later, no doubt.' Tasmin nodded, and watched her leave the canteen, on stuffing the rest of the bread into her mouth.

On reaching the last door before entering the corridor which led to the cells and common room beyond, the guard smiled at Bones. 'That was quick - not hungry?' she asked pleasantly. With arms out in a submissive pose, Bones smiled back, shaking her head as the guard frisked her.

'Not really. I have some urgent correspondence to catch up on,' Bones explained, and waited for the door to be opened. The buzzer sounded, the bolts clanked and the door opened. 'Thank you,' Bones threw over her shoulder, hearing the door relock behind her again.

Walking down the battleship-grey painted corridor, passed the open cells towards her own, Bones saw a few inmates were lounging on their beds. Most were reading or writing letters to loved ones, she assumed. It surprised her that after spending the night locked in that they preferred their windowless cells to the bright common room. But that thought evaporated quickly when she neared her own, and heard a high pitched whistle come from a cell she'd just passed. Instinctually Bones realised the whistle was a warning signal, but not for her.

A fat face peered around her cell door, and Bones tensed, slowing her brisk pace. The face was attached to a morbidly obese woman that stepped out into the corridor and almost filled it. Bones knew her: she was a lackey of the cell blocks gang leader. It was blatantly obvious her cell was being ransacked for her stash. At first Bones thought she'd let them have it, knowing Booth or any of her friends could replace whatever they wanted, nonetheless she felt violated. But then she was concerned about the things that had no monetary or barter value; such as her diary and the few family photos she had with her for comfort.

'What are you doing in our cell?' Bones asked the fat, smiling woman, who stood with her hands nonchalantly on her long lost hips.

'Work it out, _Bitch_,' she sneered sarcastically. Bones' nostrils automatically flared as she drew a breath to fuel the injection of adrenalin into her bloodstream. Bones squeezed passed her into the cell to find the ring leader sat on her bed, smoking her tobacco, while reading her diary. She looked up with a smug confident smile, fingering the precious photos Bones had; one of Booth and a close-up of Chrissy in his arms. The remaining chocolate bars had been shared out between the other two woman sat on Tasmin's bed, and consumed. The wrappers were discarded on the floor, along with other personal effects that had been rifled through.

'Give those to me - you've got what you wanted,' Bones said fairly calmly, holding her hand out for the diary and photos. The women on her right dropped their powerful smiles, and stood menacingly. The leader, known as Cutter Claudette grinned at her, surprised by her courage, but didn't show it. In her early thirties, Claudette was a NY toughened; haggard, drug user and convicted dealer that had a proclivity for blades: her weapon of choice for protection and menace. She was up on a murder charge too and awaiting her trial.

'You're outnumbered, Sweetness - don't push ya luck,' Claudette simpered in a nasal Bronx snap. Bones glanced to the women on her right, and felt her exit barred by the large lady behind, knowing she was indeed outnumbered. 'Your man - Booth, is it? He's FBI, right?' She held up the shot of Booth to her. Bones didn't deny or confirm, already knowing Claudette knew that fact already. 'He's _hot _-,' she went on, 'I bet he's a _great _ride.' Feeling her cheeks flush, Bones swapped her weight, evaluating her options; she didn't have many. 'It's a shame I don't do dick,' Claudette said coldly, winking at Bones, as she cruelly ripped the photo in half then half again, and tossed the pieces on the floor like they were used bus ticket stubs. 'From what I hear, he's already _doing _someone else.' Bones felt her chest rise and fall at an accelerating rate. Rationally she knew she could easily replace the photo, although it still cut her deeply seeing it being destroyed. But then she'd have to tell Booth why she needed another and didn't want to concern him anymore than he already was. Claudette then turned her attention to the second photo. 'N'aaaaw, isn't she as cute as a button - pity she's _dead_, ain't it?' Claudette then showed the picture of Christine to all three women with a casual sweep of it.

Bones felt her heart thunder in her chest, just seeing Claudette's nicotine stained fingers touch Christine's pure innocent image. 'Don't,' Bones warned, part begged, suspecting this was Claudette's way of showing her who ran the block, so she reacted accordingly. 'Please don't damage that photograph. I'm not, in _any _way, attempting to usurp your authority on the block, Claudette. I have shared my meagre supplies with other inmates in a friendly way to harmonise my interactions. Neither have I made financial gain from these few transactions.'

'W'hell - aren't ya sweet? Claudette said sarcastically. 'That's very thoughtful - isn't that thoughtful, Ladies?' Her lackeys all nodded to agree sycophantically. Then Claudette addressed Bones again, with a snarky pout, 'But, Sweetness, you have to understand -,' Claudette stood, casually chucking the diary away, then toying with the picture in front of Bones' eyes, 'you screwed up. You start givin' your stash away nobody's gonna come buy from _me_, see?' Bones felt her sneer and stale breath on her face, and drew her head back slightly, as they stood face to face. She understood that bullies rarely backed down once they thought they have the upper hand. 'You've really - _pissed _me off,' Claudette concluded, with her rancid spittle showering Bones' face.

'Oh... Thank you for pointing that out. I see my error now. I'll not do that again, I assure you, Claudette,' Bones supplicated to her bullying tactics, hoping that would be the end of the unpleasant affair, but doubted it was.

Without preamble, Claudette held the photo of Christine between her index fingers and thumbs, then tore it apart slowly on each part of her rebuffing words, intentionally provoking her, 'Toooo - 'effing - _late_…' Each rip released a surge of rage into Bones' veins, and tensed her muscles tighter till every sinew strained. That callous act was a bridge too far for a strung-out Temperance Brennan.

'Oh. You shouldn't have done that - I've been _very _patient,' Bones said evenly, watching the pieces of her heart flutter down around her feet. A heartbeat later she looked up to Claudette's smug, chilled eyes with her own, with the tension in the cell at snapping point. Claudette titled her head in a remorseless enigmatic smile, revelling in the tears brimming in her victims eyes.

Claudette didn't have time to recognise or react to what hit her a millisecond later. Bones grabbed her throat so tight she thought she was going to rip it out. Claudette could neither breathe in or out and the pain was excruciating. That same instant Bones lashed out with a precise snap kick to her right. The kick landed hard in the stomach of one of the women, winding her and snapping her back onto Tasmin's bed. Bones spun, throwing Claudette at the shocked fat woman as she advanced to assist Claudette. They thumped into one another, and tumbled into the corridor in a fleshy gasping pile. Bones found herself snapped into a neck lock from behind by the other woman, so elbowed her in the stomach, hearing her groan in pain, and release her. Bones spun again, then kneed her in the face, feeling her nose crunch against her patella. She whelped her agony, and staggered back, holding her pouring bloody nose. Claudette was up again though, and ran at her, incensed by her gall and single-handed retaliation. She walked straight into Bones' savage right hook, and fell to the floor, grasping her jaw.

Bones began lashing out left, right and centre with both kicks and punches in a fog of red mist with prison alarms pulsating in her ears. But it was inevitable; being outnumbered, outweighed, weakened by her lack of sustenance, emotional fragility and exhaustion, Bones was eventually overpowered.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Jack Hodgins' Lever Bros. Estate**

**11.34AM**

'Where're we going, Jack?' Booth asked, riding pillion on one of his numerous vehicles. This one being a dented mud-encrusted quad bike. Booth was surprised that Jack had invited him to his old residence and not their new home, but knew the answers were coming shortly.

'You need some R&R - just enjoy the ride, G Man,' Jack obfuscated, shaking his head, and grimacing at him to shut up. Booth obeyed with a grating nervousness flinching his abs. Although he felt a clawing unease, at least something had broken on the case, he mused. Booth clung on as Jack powered around his old lake house and towards a few decrepit barns in the distance.

They pulled up outside one of the vast barns, and got off. Jack asked, pocketing the keys in his jeans, 'Have you ever ridden a horse before, Booth?'

'Not without fallin' off - does that count?'

'Ha! No. You're gonna _love _this then and the fishing I promised you…'

Booth almost gasped, but his jaw did drop as they stepped inside the rickety old barn door. Inside was a huge metal wall with yet another door that had a key-code entry system. In two seconds he was inside a massive barn-shaped room full of _Bug Guy _machines, computers and several instruments he had no idea what they were or did. As Jack locked them in, Booth's ears suddenly felt as though he'd gone under water, and realised it was a silent room. It was clearly Jack's state-of-the-art lab concealed inside the old ramshackle barn but with his unique paranoid twists.

'My Granddad was a lot like me,' Jack explained, turning on a bank of computers, and blushing slightly. They rattled and hummed with power and started to load up. 'He built a fallout shelter here back in the fifties and lived in it at various times during the Cuban Missile Crisis or when Grandma kicked him out of the house. I've made a few improvements over the years…' Jack humbly understated.

'Ha. No shit,' Booth huffed, which drew a coy smile from Jack.

'We can't be heard in this room but I need to get you underground to be 99.8% sure, Booth. Follow me...' Booth stayed close, burning with questions, and scanning the room as Jack led the way into the middle of the expanse. 'We're going three stories down into the bunker rooms.' Jack lifted a small metal plate on the floor, and Booth saw there was another key-code box under it. Jack tapped in the pass code, covering his hand from Booth, which made him smile. 'It's not that I don't trust you, Booth. The fewer people that know it…' he trailed off, not needing to elaborate on his reasons, seeing Booth flap away his apology.

Jack gently pushed Booth back a foot as a square section of the floor began to rise up with a slow whir of hydraulics. Booth knew it was an elevator. The door to the two person elevator opened outwards and he followed Jack in. After they were inside Jack closed the door, and pushed one of three unmarked buttons. Immediately Jack started talking as they began to descend, 'We think you may have a tracking chip like the one we found in the remains, Bren too - _possibly _Christine.' Booth's eyes grew wide at that revelation, feeling his guts wrench. 'We're gonna thoroughly check you over now and if you have, get it out of you.'

'But _how _- how did it get _in _us?' Booth asked incredulously, feeling his skin crawl. Jack leant back on the wall of the elevator, and sighed.

'We're not certain but - we have a theory...' The elevator stopped and the door swung open again. Booth followed Jack through it into a large comfortable room which looked just like an average family lounge. There were sofa's; bookcases, a fireplace, windows with the estates garden views through them, a plasma screen TV and it was bright and airy. The setup confused Booth for a few seconds, until he realised the views through the windows were projected onto the false windows. They gave the impression that they were still over ground, although he knew they were three stories down. Before he had time to comment another door opened to his right: Cam and Ange, with Michael in her arms, came through it. They both smiled welcomingly, seeing his amazement.

As Ange put Michael in a playpen, she said, with a grand gesture with her hand around the luxurious room, 'Can my man cook, or can my man _cook_?' Booth snorted, nodding to confirm that indeed Jack had created a wonderful subterranean environment. 'Have a seat, Booth - relax. We're safe here.' He did with a flump in one of the couches, shaking his head, still not quite believing where he was. Jack handed him a cold beer, and sat next to him.

'We have to ask you some questions, Seeley,' Cam said, crossing her legs, getting down to business immediately. He nodded, swigging from the bottle, needing the hit.

Seeing him still looking around the bunker, Ange said sweetly, 'I know this is all a little overwhelming, Booth…' He shook his head to dismiss that comment.

'Actually, in a way, it isn't. I should have guessed Jack would have a _secret _bunker somewhere - he fits the profile.'

'Thanks,' Jack said with a quirk of his lips, only a little hurt by the backhanded dig at his well-documented obsession with conspiracy theories and cover-ups.

Booth immediately took that back with, 'God - I'm sorry, Jack. That sounded bad.'

'Hey,' Jack eased pleasantly, nudging him with his elbow. 'Forget it - I'm used to it from Ange.' The married couple shared a scorching smile, after Ange winked seductively at her man.

'Yes, well, it looks like Jack's caution and paranoia maybe well founded,' Cam interjected solemnly. Everyone turned seriously to the situation at hand.

Booth felt his taut muscles tighten further, and he took a deep breath, moving them forward with, 'Tell me this theory.'

Cam explained succinctly, 'I found a _macro_-chip in the remains.' Booth nodded. 'It was compromised and degraded but we ran some tests on it. We discovered it was _almost _homemade, a brilliant piece of cutting edge technology based on the advances in prosthetic limb chips which are at the prototype stage. Those chips are used to send and receive signals from particular parts of the brain to perform or recognise brainwave patterns for specific movements. Such as grasping objects with the fingers.' Booth swigged from the bottle again, nodding slowly. 'Those chips, although in their infancy, are larger than what we found. This one is so small its possible it could've been _injected _under the skin…' Cam saw Booth's brow furrow with concern.

Ange carried on, 'When Bren gave birth in the barn, what happened after?' Booth snagged his head back, not making the leap yet.

'We kissed, welcomed Christine into the…'

Ange cut in over him with, 'No, Booth - after that, what happened when the paramedic's arrived?'

'Umm. They examined Christine and Bones. She hadn't lost the after birth…' he paused when Jack, Cam and Ange exchanged surreptitious looks. 'What - what did they do to her?' he insisted, feeling his throat close over.

'Tell us _precisely _what happened,' Cam urged, with a narrowing of her eyes, boring into his.

'One of the paramedic's gave me a pair of weird looking scissors and I cut Christine's cord. They said we should get Bones to hospital - just to check Chrissy and her out,' he told them ordinarily, then his face fell on, 'Oh. Shit…' Booth had a flashback which made bile singe the back of his throat when his stomach contents jumped violently, as he got the connection. 'One of the paramedics gave Bones an injection in her thigh. He said it was to help the delivery of the afterbirth.' They all exchanged glances again. 'They said it was normal procedure - Bones agreed, she was fine about having the shot,' he explained fast with his panic mounting, searching all the faces staring at him.

'She was right - it is perfectly normal, especially in those circumstances. Its called syntocinon. Its a drug given to induce a big contraction to expel the placenta.' Although that information reassured Booth, it only partly did.

'Pelant has been tracking Bones since _then, _is that what you're saying?'

Then Ange dropped the A-bomb in Booth's lap, 'We suspect way _before _that, Booth.' He shot up to his feet, stomping around the lounge, clearly distressed.

'We're _not _positive there's one in her, Seeley - its just a theory,' Cam added quickly, knowing this theory was just that, given the uncanny way Pelant had manipulated events. Her genuine attempt to pacify Booth failed.

Booth questioned, 'How did he know where we were - how did Pelant get the paramedic to do that?'

Ange posed the question, 'Easy - You talk about your work and _that _case at home with Bren, I assume?' Booth nodded. 'We suspect your house is bugged - probably your cars too.' Booth bristled, snorting his anger out through his nostrils, till pacing like a caged tiger with a thorn piercing his flank.

Cam continued, 'Agent Shaw interviewed one of the paramedics last week that attended your call, Seeley. However, it _appears _they never got there...' Booth came to an edgy standstill, and lanced his eyes into Cam's, feeling his blood slow in his veins as it chilled. 'They were called off to a serious road traffic accident and assured a closer crew would attend your 911 call. When they got to the new location, eight miles in the _opposite _direction - there was no RTA.'

Booth vented his horror, 'Je-sus _Christ _- this is insane! So those guys weren't _real _paramedics?' Cam shrugged a shoulder carefully, seeing his ire. 'But - but they took Bones and Chrissy to the hospital in the _ambulance _- I followed in my SUV.' Everyone nodded, understanding his terror of what might have happened to his family.

'They may have been, Booth. Or - paid by Pelant, given instructions and the syringe already loaded with a chip. Agent Shaw hasn't been able to track them down as yet.'

Booth calmed marginally, only because he was emotionally weakened by the stinging revelations. He moved slowly to the faux window, and looked at the view of the lake, a moment later he asked tremulously, 'What about our Chrissy - what about our baby girl?' with tears brimming, and a desperate expression on his face they couldn't see.

'Was she taken away to be given any tests when you arrived at the hospital?'

Turning slowly to face them, he nodded. 'Yeah, but they were all done in the delivery suite - she was with us the _whole _time. They cleaned her up, checked her out and…' Booth trailed off, having another mortifying revelation shatter his world.

'What - what is it?' Ange asked, seeing Booth pale and sag, seemingly loosing all the strength he had left suddenly.

Booth told them, crumbling to bits inside, 'I heard the paramedic say to the doctor that attended us that he'd given Chrissy the Guthrie test in the ambulance en route. That's a pin prick test in the heel, right?' There was a cold knowing silence that ripped through the room, then Ange went to Booth to give him a much needed hug. He slipped his arms around her waist, and held on to her tightly, as he whispered over her shoulder, 'Why? Why's he torturing us - I don't understand, Ange.' She rubbed his back with deep sympathy.

'Do you remember Inger Johannsen?' Jack asked softly. Booth lifted his head off Ange's shoulder. Jack didn't realise that Booth always remembered every victim, this one especially as she'd haunted his nights and days.

'Of _course_, she was Pelant's first victim. He ripped her apart and messed up her spine.'

'Ever heard of Robert W Johannsen?' Booth shook his head. Jack went on carefully, knowing how sensitive Booth was about his ancestry, 'He was a historian - a brilliant historian, professor and lecturer that died last year. He wrote books, articles and essays on American history but predominantly - he was an authority on Abraham _Lincoln_…'

Dropping his eyes away from Jack and everyone, Booth blindly scanned the plush carpet. He tried not to make connections with his dubious family history or John Wilkes Booth: the man that assassinated _Honest Abe_. Ange stepped away slightly, watching Booth closely for his reaction. Swallowing hard, Booth asked finally, 'Was Inger related to him?'

'No - we haven't found a connection yet except that their surnames are the same,' Ange divulged gently, knowing the unfortunate young woman had been murdered and disembowelled for nothing more than her name.

Jack concluded gravely, 'But to be honest, Booth, the conspiracist in me is screaming that its another message from Pelant.'

'Yeah -,' Booth agreed with his voice barely cracking above a whisper, 'this is all about _me -_,' he looked up now, with his jaw flickering with emotion, 'my punishment for a relatives actions a hundred and forty seven years ago…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! **

**Christopher Pelant's Residence **

**Concealed Basement**

Whistling Dixie softly, backed by his newspaper cutting covered wall, Pelant carefully soldered a resistor into a circuit board. He gently blew away the puff of smoke that rose, then checked the meld he'd just completed under a high strength magnifying glass. Pleased with what he'd accomplished today, he set aside the pressure plate, and unplugged the soldering iron.

Slurping his cold coffee which drained the mug, he spun slowly on his stool to look at his cuttings, and smiled. 'Its time to hurt you just a _lit'le _more, G Man,' he crooned, after checking his watch. He picked up a small electronic key fob, aimed it at his ankle monitor, and pushed the unlock button. The homemade laptop on his workbench bleeped, and he checked the screen. He waited patiently for a minute to make sure the signal repeat was being sent to the monitoring station via the program he was running. Once sure it was, he then pocketed the ordinary alarm key, with his other keys attached, into his cargo pants pocket. Carefully placing another primed pressure plate he'd prepared earlier into a knapsack, he zipped it up, then eased it securely on his back with a delicious thrill trickling up his spine.

Lifting a creaking trapdoor in the floor, he trotted down the wooden steps, still casually whistling Dixie. Five minutes later he was astride his 1000cc platinum Ducati, with the black-out visor on his helmet down, and kicking away its stand.

It was one of those summer days in the DC area when the clouds were scared, and the sidewalks steamed. Pelant felt the anticipation of what he was about to do tighten the front of his cargos and the blistering sun kiss his bare pasty forearms. He revved the engine twice to clear her throat, making her purr sweetly. Letting out the clutch, he ambled gently down the baked alley with a sly smile curling his lips.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Agent Shaw's Residence**

**Twenty Minutes Later**

The sound of the door bell chime halted Agent Shaw as she left the kitchen with her son on her hip. 'I'll get it!' she called out to her mother for her not to trouble herself, as she made a detour down the hall to answer it.

'Who is it?' her Mom called out from the lounge. Shaw chuckled.

'Dunno - I'm not there yet!' she shouted back, then addressed her excited son with, 'Who is it? I _bet _its aunty Nikki come to play…' Shaw opened the door to no one but a small parcel on the welcome mat. 'Oh,' she said, looking up the street for the delivery van or mailman. 'OooOoo. Its for _meee_…' she said gleefully to Danny, as he tried to reach for it excitedly. Seeing no delivery person, Shaw leant down to pick up the brightly packaged parcel…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**A/N: Duf! Duf-duf-duf. Cue scary music… Want a little more? I'm off on my jollies for a while, so I'll update when I get back. ;) Reviews **_**always **_**welcomed. Zai jian, Lebxeb. XX**


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: **All characters portrayed here are fictional. No infringement of rights intended. Bones & its characters are a product of & not mine. No financial gain is received from this work of fiction.

**Summary: **Are the dark clouds starting to clear? Remember reader: "**Nothing is as it seems..**"

**Rating: **M/NC17 for themes and a few profanities. (High rating just to be safe.)

**Thanks: **for reading.

**Pelant**

**Chapter V**

**Agent Shaw's Residence**

Sometimes instinct can be a lifesaver. However, sometimes the gut churning warnings are ignored; dismissed because we think those symptoms are irrational. We've become complacent and arrogant as modern humans. But instinct is ancient; an inbuilt hard earned gift left over in our genetic makeup that in our modern lives we don't need anymore, or so we think. But sometimes, if we listen, feel, we heed our bodies reactions to a set of sensory markers and we can survive.

A glint of something peculiar under the unexpected gift froze Agent Shaw's hand around the parcel and her. With her son, Danny, wiggling on her hip, her carefree smile vanished like pollen on the soft summer breeze. The pit of her stomach contracted as did her pupils as she focused on the hair-thin wire, and her mind went into overdrive.

In that instant Shaw's mind and body screamed at her: _don't move_; so she didn't. Her churning stomach told her to be aware of potential danger, so she was. The injection of adrenalin into her blood implied this was a situation where she had a choice; stay still or run. Her mind began assessing the visual markers and evidence and gave her another set of variables to instantly ponder: to force her to make a snap decision. That decision, she instinctually knew, would either save Danny's life and her own, or not.

'Hold still, Danny, there's a good boy,' she urged without moving a tensed muscle. But he didn't. 'Hold _still_,' she ordered with bite. Her tone and instinct seemed to infuse him and he too, stilled. 'Good boy.' She took a few deep, careful breaths in an attempt to calm her sprinting heart, then shouted, 'Mom! Mom, come here!'

'Why, who is it?' her Mom asked, entering the hall, and seeing her daughter leaning over a parcel on the mat. Her smile vanished. Her natural instinct kicked in just as fast as Genny's had done, seeing her daughters terrified expression and statue-like, awkward pose. 'What is that?' she asked, but already making an educated guess. Their carefree summers day had, in a instant, turned into a viciously cold nightmare.

'Listen to me carefully, Mom,' Genny began soberly; her tone not as even as she would have liked. 'Take Danny from me - _very _carefully and get out of the house. Take my cell with you and call the FBI. Tell them my badge number and code 37.' Shaw saw her Mom's terror as she edged closer, with tears popping up in her eyes. 'It'll be ok, Mom. Just take him and go,' she reassured, but wondered if this was the last time she would ever hold Danny again. That thought blistered her corneas as her Mom drew cautiously closer, with those thoughts shared silently between them. Danny's chin began to quiver as he too felt those emotions manifest and exchanged in rapid glances between his Mom and Nanny. He held on tighter to his Mom, not wanting to let go, and began to whimper which broke Genny's heart. 'Danny, it's gonna be ok, just go with Nanna - be a good boy,' she said as sweetly as she was able, not wanting her last words to him to be a reprimand. Danny glanced to his Mom's watery eyes and reassuring nod then to his Nanna, not knowing what to do. Pearl, as she like to be called by her friends, forced a smile onto her lips too, although her eyes streamed with her terror, and reached for her grandson from a metre away.

Genny felt her brow begin to bead with nervous sweat and her abs start to cramp with lactic acid build up. The position she was in, was not only, extremely uncomfortable but she found herself twisted from the left hip, which Danny was propped on. She knew once Danny was off her hip she could kneel down and get more comfortable and steady.

Eventually Danny began to release his grip on her, and reach towards Pearl but that changed the weight and unbalanced Genny. 'Wait-wait, just a moment,' she warned. 'Don't reach for Nanna, Danny. Let Nanna take you, ok?' Danny nodded, whimpering now.

'Come on, Danny,' Pearl purred soflty, lifting him cautiously off Genny's hip. Genny shared an eloquent stare with her Mom, in it they expressed a list of emotions and wants if the worst should befall them; panic, regret, horror, grief, thanks, hope, love, strength. They were all expressed in a fleeting second.

Taken into his Nanna's arms, and for the moment, safe, Danny called to his pretty Mom as Pearl paced away back down the hall, clutching him tight to her breast. As she turned into the lounge, she glanced over her shoulder to her daughter. Genny smiled through her tears at them, saying softly, 'I love you…'

**! **

**FBI HQ**

**Lance Sweets Office**

Slumped on his couch, and rubbing the back of his tension-filled neck, Sweets sighed out through pursed lips. A pile of files stacked in front of him on the low coffee table reminded him he should be working, so did the pen in his clammy hand. But he couldn't concentrate on anything other than Pelant and his tormented friends. The meeting he'd just come from, after giving evidence on his and Booth's interactions during the last few months, had left a dirty taste on his tongue and lumps of granite in the pit of his stomach. He was weighed down with his burden and couldn't see a way to lift himself out of the mire, so he'd hit back the only way he knew how.

Throwing the pen on the table, it scuttled across the slick wood and rolled onto the carpet with a soft thud. Sweets rocked back into the cushions, and closed his gritty eyes, feeling like Judas Iscariot, wishing for a tree to sprout at his feet so he could hang himself from it. His career was undoubtedly in tatters now; his reputation shot, and was waiting for an official call to relieve him of duty - permanently.

The FBI's internal investigation into Booth's conduct and their conversations still spun his mind in cartwheels. Booth's career was being picked apart by a murder of crows in his absence and Sweets was being pecked at too. The fresh wounds still bled and stung.

Sweets recalled being asked by one of those hungry crows sat ahead of him… '_Did Agent Booth ask you to create a profile of the killer of Ethan Sawyer and make that profile __**fit **__Pelant?'_

'_Yes, he did - but…' Sweets remembered being ignominiously cut off by the next question before he could put that statement into context or explain, in physiological terms, Booth's unprofessional comment. It was clear this investigation was not a fact-seeking exercise but an icy demolition of a career. Booth's reputation was being ripped apart and deliberately so. The FBI was covering its back and distancing itself from an apparent renegade agent. The three stony-faced Assistant Directors pierced him with their eyes, and he could feel the heat of the lances seer deep as the pecking continued._

'_We've discovered several other disturbing facts pertaining to Agent Booth,' AD Luggia continued, 'For example, he used the FBI's resources to invade the personal and educational records of a number of child minders and nursery staff for his personal use. Where you aware of that?' Sweets held his breath, keeping tight-lipped, but feeling his stomach churn. Although that was minor misdemeanour and abuse of power, every violation was being used to dishonour the man. 'We have a __**litany **__of abuses committed by Agent Booth in front of us...' Sweets shifted uncomfortably in his chair, already knowing by their expression where this was leading. _

_AD Luggia went on, reading from a hefty file through his rimless designer spectacles, 'Food coupons that had been kept in evidence on a previous case were discovered missing, then, consequently used by Agent Booth at his local shopping mall. Yet another very serious breach of the Code Of Conduct the FBI expects from its Agents.' Luggia scanned him, then looked along the panel before he went on with, 'Then there was the unprovoked physical assault on Pelant in his home by Agent Booth. Where he vowed to kill Pelant if his family were harmed. That wasn't the first time Agent Booth has lost his temper with a suspect, is it?' Luggia stated condescendingly. Sweets didn't confirm or deny the fact, just breathed, and waited patiently for the hammer blow he knew was coming. _

'_And yet another, more disturbing, breach of those rules has been flouted, with impunity, it appears. Agent Booth and Doctor Brennan have worked closely together for seven years and now are in a romantic relationship and have a child together… As you have worked closely with them and been privy to this blossoming relationship you __**must **__have been aware that this type of unprofessional behaviour is NOT accepted within the Bureau guidelines… Why did you not report this breach to your superiors or remind Agent Booth of the consequences if he continued with that relationship, __**Doctor **__Sweets?' Sweets opened his dry mouth to reply but again was cut off by, 'Or is it because you selfishly wanted to __**use **__them as Guinea pigs; to write a book about their emotional and professional relationship and hoped to gain financially from it?' Sweets gulped, feeling the capillaries in his cheeks flush with humiliation, as he held Luggia's cold stare with his own. Then Luggia added slyly, 'It has also come to our attention… that __**another **__Jeffersonian/FBI romantic liaison has blossomed…' _

_And there it was: the hammer blow, he thought. Sweets felt this had to stop, and began his reply with a racing heart but a cool measured tone, 'This meeting is not taking into account Agent Booth's or Doctor Brennan unsurpassed conviction record for the Bureau.' The panel sat back, indulging Sweets but with contempt in their expressions. Clearly they were confident of the position, but Sweets wasn't intimidated, adding, 'Nor does it reveal the personal sacrifices which, have been many, made for the greater good and the __**reputation **__of the FBI. This is an old fashioned, __**dirty **__witch hunt, which shames me to be a part of.' The faces he scanned all looked down at him and practically sneered, unmoved by his rhetoric. Sweets didn't give them time to protest though. 'I ask a question of the panel -,' they all sat a little straighter, 'after seven years of all those misdemeanours Agent Booth is accused of, how is it, that the mighty Federal Bureau of __**Investigation **__and all of __**you**__, never, not once, discovered or bothered to reprimand Agent Booth's actions?' _

_AD Hacker interjected sharply with, 'Doctor Sweets, sarcasm is not appro…' _

_But Hacker was silenced when Sweets checked him with a bludgeoning, 'I suggest that's because __**none **__of you are without a career or personal blemish your desperate to conceal. You've __**all **__turned a blind eye - and __**basked **__in the glory of __**their **__triumphs!' Sweets barked, then accused with a deliberately pointed finger, 'You, for example, Assistant Director Luggia, gained your promotion off the back of the brilliant work and skills of both Agent Booth and Doctors Brennan in the Epps case.' Luggia rocked uncomfortably, and nervously glanced either side of himself. Sweets switched his attack, 'And you, AD Hacker, who was the last person you dated - would you like to __**share **__that information today?' Hacker visibly flinched, then set his jaw. Sweets saw his cheek flicker, and crooned, 'Yeess, its all a bit un-__**comfortable **__now, isn't it?'_

_Sweets didn't let go once he'd taken a bite, despite nervous glances to the panel from the diligent note taker, who seemed unsure whether to continue with the transcript. 'If I were to reveal to this __**lofty, righteous **__panel the personal files and conversations I've kept on our meetings, Assistant Director __**Thomas -**__,' Thomas snapped his eyes to Sweets, and held his breath, 'I'm sure we'd be having a meeting about __**your **__conduct, and mental stability and possibly debating whether you should take an extended __**suspension **__from the BurEAU…!' Thomas dropped his eyes away to the pages of notes on the desk, avoiding all eye contact, and began to sweat. Sweets knew he'd clipped his wings and blunted his bloody beak too._

'_Stop now, Doctor Sweets - this isn't helping!' AD Hacker warned again, sensing a imminent coup d'état._

'_My God, look at you all squirming - and you should be. You all __**fiddle **__while Rome burns,' he sneered. 'Ooh. The arrogance of power,' Sweets humbled the panel with his distaste of the back-stabbing cowardice he saw in their eyes._

'_Those statements are very close to a threat, Doctor Sweets - blackmail even,' AD Luggia riled, but cautiously, not wanting Sweets to reveal more of his own blemishes. _

_Calming only slightly, Sweets said sycophantically, 'No, no its not a threat but you're correct in one context...' The panel twitched in front of Sweets, anxious and bruised. 'Blackmail is only blackmail when the information is used to discredit or dishonour. Which I've never intended to do to any of you.' Sweets saw them sag slightly, but hold their aloof expressions, almost. 'But - do you __**honestly **__think Pelant risked breaking into my personal files just to get some dirt on a __**lowly **__Special Agent Booth? Are you so secure and arrogant to assume Booth was his __**only **__target? You haven't considered, have you, that the files I hold on all of you, must have made __**veeery **__interesting reading for __**him **__and for whatever else he's plotting?' Sweets saw the colour drain from each and every face staring at him and their Adam's Apples bob simultaneously in ugly chorus. Sweets smiled hard, witnessing the fear in them, and nodded slowly to confirm to them, he'd seen it. _

_Standing with a scrape of his chair which the silent panel winced at, Sweets final words tolled in their ears for several moments after he left the room, 'In reference to Special Agent Seeley Booth and your decision on whether to end his career with the FBI - I'll leave this thought with you all: he who is without sin, cast the first stone - and be dammed...'_

Sweets opened his eyes to the ceiling, then promptly jumped in his seat when the office door behind him opened sharply.

'Whatever you said in there, Cher, put firecrackers up their asses. They're running 'round wid their butts on fire!' Sweets felt her clip him around the back of the head as she barrelled in like a multicoloured battleship at full steam ahead. 'Get ya tight tushy off the couch - we gotta Agent to save!' Caroline commanded in her blustery, magnificent way.

Sweets leapt to his feet, weightless, and asked, 'What Agent - save who?'

'That little sweet thing Genny - Agent Shaw. Her mother called in a code 37 ten minutes ago.'

'What's a code 37?' Sweets asked, trotting after Caroline as she spun back out of his office, and power walked down the corridor leaving a plume of Channel No5 in her busty wake.

Caroline snarled sarcastically, 'Did you go to Quantico?' Sweets quirked his lips. 'Its a _bomb_, Cher. She holding a bomb. My guess - its Pelant's doin'.' Sweets agreed, and quickly assessed the break in the case in his mind.

Excitedly Sweets thought out loud, 'If they can _defuse _it before…'

They were obviously on the same wavelength as Caroline confirmed with, 'Bingo! Squints and Bomb Squad are on their way. We'll take your car - I'll drive.'

'I can drive…'

Caroline snapped, 'Don't argue with _me! _You're still on _thin _ice, Cher…' Sweets pushed the elevator button, but sagged at the stab to his conscience. Seeing him wilt, Caroline half grimaced, half smiled as she stepped into the elevator. 'At least we're _both _back on the case now.' She pushed the button for the garage, enquiring, 'What _did _you say to them?' Sweets grinned slyly, but preferred to watch the floor counter click down rather than answering her. Caroline snagged her head back, and cracked a complimentary smile, immediately understanding his discretion. 'Ooooh. I see - you grew some hairy big ones finally. I'm startin' ta like ya, Cher…' Sweets grinned a little wider as they both watched the numbers click down.

**!**

**Correctional Facility**

The mood in the common room lifted and the noise level increased as the mail was being handed out by the guards. Bones heart fluttered as a pile letters were tossed towards her across the desk, and she glanced over them spread out like a poker hand. One item, a postcard within the pile, stopped her heart completely.

'Whose on vacation?' Tasmin asked, not receiving anything herself, but made curious by the pretty beach scene on the postcard. Bones picked it up, recognising Waikiki Beach immediately, and made the connection. She flipped it in her trembling fingers to read the back. There was nothing written on it but the postmark was from Mexico City and only her prison address and inmate number. It was date stamped three days ago and her heart started beating again, and her spirits soared.

Her father was sending her a direct message: Christine was safe, and with him and they were travelling. She closed her eyes as she brought it to her nose to smell it, hoping to find a trace of Christine's scent on it. She almost convinced herself she could smell her soft skin fragrance the card, but smiled at her foolishness, then stared at the picture of an empty sandy beach. She wondered if Max had indeed strolled with Christine along that beach just a few days ago. But she doubted that idyllic beach had been graced by her fugitive father or precious daughter.

'What _dick-wad _would send a postcard and not say anything - that's kind of cruel, isn't it?' Tasmin queried, peering over Bones' shoulder at the empty card.

'On the contrary, Tasmin. Whoever sent this, is a _fucking _hero…' Tasmin smiled, then started to laugh at the Doctor. Bones treated her cellmate to a scorching smile.

'HAA! Well _fucking _done! You're getting' _really _good now.' Tasmin patted her back affectionately. Bones nodded to concede her profanity usage was improving fast. 'But seriously - who's it from?'

'Family,' was all she said with a teasing smile hanging on her lips.

'Brennan?' Her name called hard and harsh snapped both Tasmin and Bones' heads around to the guard that shouted it. 'You got visitors!' The guard gestured for her to follow her quickly. Bones knew she wasn't due to have any visits today, so the news lifted her spirits even higher. She gathered the rest of her mail, and walked briskly over to the guard, clutching her letters and postcard protectively.

'Who is it?' Bones asked, following her down the corridor.

'What am I, your fucking personal secretary? I don't know,' the butch guard sneered, reaching the cell bocks last door.

'Can I take my letters with me?' The guard shrugged a shoulder, then offered a flippant miniscule nod. Bones grinned pleasantly back, and tucked the lot away in her jumpsuit pocket for safe keeping just as the door was opened with a buzz. Bones went through, and turned left.

'Not that way - this way,' the guard instructed, and paced off in the opposite direction.

'The interviews rooms are _this _way - where are you taking me?' Bones' paranoia surfaced quickly, and slowed her pace.

The guard tugged her arm leading the way, saying, 'You got an hour - in the _motor _home,' as if she expected Bones to understand.

Still perplexed, Bones asked, 'Motor home?'

'Yeah. Conjugal rights, Baby,' she said with a smutty smirk, as she looked her up and down suggestively.

**! **

**Motor Home**

The door to the shabby rain-stained motor home was opened by the guard inside as she was prodded up the rickety steps. Over the guard's shoulder Bones could see Booth waiting anxiously for her. They locked eyes, and smiled at each other. All was clear to her now; he'd arranged a private visit for them somehow. Bones' heart pounded, and her breath caught, seeing him twitching in his sneakers, eager to get to her. At first he looked excited by her arrival, then a flicker of concern in his eyes weakened his handsome smile. The few moments of waiting for the official hand over to be completed was agonising and felt like an eternity while her cuffs were removed.

'One hour from now we'll be back.…' Bones nodded absently as the door behind her closed, and Booth paced over quickly before it had clicked shut. She met him halfway, and they splashed together. He snapped his arms around her, and she instantly collapsed into them, then began to weep with joy and relief, unable to check herself. Holding her up, he kissed her neck repeatedly, making steady progress towards her parted lips. Bones offered her neck to his wonderful assault, but rushed to kiss him, and ran her hands over his back under his leather jacket to feel him flush against her.

'I've missed you,' he whispered the blatant, covering her face with urgent tender kisses. 'You're hurt, your lip - what happened?' he asked between those tempered kisses.

In her emotional state she'd forgotten about her visible injuries, and deflected him quickly, 'Not now-not yet, please, Booth - just let me hold you,' she whimpered, her body weakened by his warmth and restrained passion. Holding him even tighter, she kissed him softly, parting his lips with a soft urgent moan leaking through hers. They melded into a soft reunion of wet lips and gentle caresses with their tongues.

His taste was the same, and beautifully familiar, loving and infinitely warm. It made her internal ache evaporate instantly. She changed the angle of her lips against his, and deepened the kiss: tugging at his tongue with hers, drawing him in. All the while her hands raced over him; his hair, his jaw, his shoulders, and torso, then back into his hair. She was making certain he was intact physically, and reassuring herself she was holding him in the flesh and not in a dream. She could feel his hands cradling her like he was holding a treasured vase, scared if he held too tight she might crack. So she urged, momentarily breaking the kiss to reassure, 'I'll not break.' Then they resumed, this time he squeezed her closer, and she heard herself moan her pleasure into his mouth.

Booth felt against his, her cheeks awash with tears and her hands trembling on his back as she attempted to pull him ever closer. His concerns at her battered physical condition deepened but tried not to let them ruin this rarest of moments with her. She felt solid in his arms but lighter and consequently fragile, which prevented him from gripping her as she obviously wanted him to do. Emotionally she'd broken when they first saw one another, which again was a rare lapse of control, and worried him. As she sank most of herself into his torso he felt her fragility chime loud in his heart, so made a decision for her comfort.

Gallantly Booth swept her up off the tacky lino floor, and carried her to the couch, all the while refusing to break their uniting kiss. She moaned again, this time to cover for her wince of pain, while surrendering to his will. They broke briefly as he laid her down along the couch, and joined her.

Perceptive as always Booth noted her discomfort, and apologised, 'Sorry, did I hurt you?' as he lay alongside her, looping a leg over hers. Bones felt enveloped and safe for the first time in weeks being almost engulfed by all his limbs. He filled her field of view too, and it was a wonderful vista, she thought.

'Shhh. Shhh,' she pleaded to calm him, while smattering kisses over his rugged face, and caressing his hair. 'I'm a little bruised that's all, nothing broken - except my lip.'

'What happened?' he asked, wiping her tears away from her smiling face, feeling her eyes ripple over him like warm silk.

'I became embroiled in an altercation. I don't want talk about that now - its over,' she placated flippantly, then enquired, 'Oh. Booth, I wasn't expecting you today or this.' Booth's brow rippled into a question, not understanding her comment. 'Why are you here - do you require sexual intercourse with me?'

'Haa! Do you think that's why I arranged this - just to have sex with you?' he queried, caressing her split, healing lip carefully, while buttering her cheek with kisses.

'Yes, you have a high sex drive and we haven't been intimate for sometime now - this is _the _motor home.' She took his finger off her lip, and kissed it softly in a thank you for his tenderness. 'Its been set aside for inmates conjugal visits. We're supposed to have sex in it,' she explained in complete seriousness.

Booth knew she'd totally got the wrong end of the stick, which amused him. 'Haa! Oooh. Bones, I _love _you,' he cooed, wallowing in her misted eyes, cuddling her close.

Bones' smile grew strong and bright, hearing his effortless declaration and amusement. She urged back her own declaration just as strongly, 'I love you _too_, Booth. We can have sex - if you want. I'm a little tender but I think I could perform if you really feel the…'

Slowly losing his smile, Booth put her on pause by touching a finger to her lips and, 'Umm. Under different circumstances I'd say yes, _only _if you wanted to, but…' Booth looked over his shoulder, then began to sit up slowly, giving her room to see the real reason he was here.

'Hey, Sweetie,' Ange greeted, smiling apologetically, walking out of the bedroom with Jack and Cam in tow. Bones' strong smile faded too, realising she'd taken things too literally again. This wasn't a surprise conjugal visit at all, and felt some relief for that. It was then that she finally saw chrome Jeffersonian cases stacked on the table, and all their solemn expressions.

'Oh. Right...' Bones sat up with another hidden wince, lacing her fingers with Booth as he readjusted himself to sit close beside her. He looked to her hand, and saw grazes and bruised knuckles, then into her eyes, deeply concerned. She smiled, just, then pecked his lips again. 'Please, I'm fine, don't worry,' she whispered her entreaty against his lips. Then quickly addressed her next question to her friends, 'What's going on?' Booth's eyes, she realised, didn't leave her face, and she could sense an underlying tension in his body despite her reassurances.

After pecking her cheek, Ange drew up a chair, and explained, 'We think Pelant tagged you - possibly Christine as well.' Bones cocked a brow. 'Booth was unaffected but your house was bugged. We've managed to clean it. We think we've got them all.' At the mention of Christine Bones rushed to retrieve the postcard from her pocket. Her flurry and distraction paused Ange again.

'Booth, _look_.' She handed the card to Booth, and watched his face avidly for his reaction to it. Her smile ballooned as he too realised the significance of it, and began to smell it just as she'd done. 'Yes. She's ok - she's safe.' Booth felt his eyes burn, as he nodded to confirm her thoughts, and relief ebbed through them like a warm tide. 'Its dated three days ago, just _three _days, Booth,' she said, rubbing his thigh. He nodded, looked to her lips and then into her glittering irises. That subtle flick of his eyes was a plead and an invitation which she accepted unreservedly, so kissed him again.

Ange gave them a few more moments, then, 'Sorry, I'm _really _sorry to interrupt you guys but - we haven't got long.' The partners gently broke the kiss, and rested brows together. Booth slowly licked his lips, then lifted off her brow as Ange went on, 'We obtained special permission to examine you, Bren. If we find anything we have to video its extraction for evidence.' Bones nodded, taking a breath.

'I understand - proceed.' Bones stood, already preparing herself. Booth rose too, holding her hand, still watching her very closely.

'You need to get undressed, Bren. Cam will perform the examination in the bedroom. We've set up in there. I'll record it, ok?' Bones nodded, dropping her eyes to her feet.

Seeing a fleck of nervousness in her, Booth said compassionately, 'I can be with you, Bones.'

Bones snapped gently, '_No_ - no, its ok, Booth.' Then she smiled warmly, and pecked his lips, while squeezing his hand in hers. 'Just Ange and Cam. I imagine it's a confined space. You stay out here with Jack.' Then on a beaming smile, she added, 'Is that _real _coffee I smell?' waggling her brows.

Grinning back, Booth pecked her lips. 'Yeah it is - your favourite,' he confirmed.

'Great. We'll be back in a little while.' She kissed him solidly on the lips, then walked away, only letting go of his hand when she had to. Booth held his smile in place until all three ladies were in the bedroom and the door was shut, then he dropped it like hot rock.

Made curious by his distant stare at the closed bedroom door, Jack asked, 'What's wrong, Booth?'

On a troubling thought Booth shook his head slightly, then turned towards the kettle to switch it on. 'Nothing…' But Booth knew Bones was hiding something from him; she'd dismissed his offer to stay with her way too fast.

**!**

**Bedroom**

With her back to her friends, Bones stripped away her jumpsuit, and stepped out of it. Quietly she lay on the bed in her underwear, and settled herself. 'Ready,' she informed softly after a moment, staring at the musty looking ceiling.

With smiles, Ange and Cam both turned from what they were doing, and immediately froze their expressions on seeing her.

Ange sighed, 'Oooh. Bren -,' then spat, 'those _bitches_.'

Bones swallowed, then pleaded softly, swapping her gaze between Cam and Ange, 'Please, don't mention anything to Booth.'

'We won't but - this looks broken to me,' Cam said, gently tracing Bones' bruised flank along the line of her fourth rib.

'Its fractured, yes - but not as painful as it looks. I'm regularly issued with analgesics to combat my discomfort,' she explained stoically.

Ange interjected, and pointing, 'But - what about _that, _Sweetie…?'

Bones grit her jaw, and insisted more severely, '_Promise _me - _both _of you. Not a word to him.' Exchanging concerned glances between one another Cam and Ange both accepted their responsibilities.

Ange dropped a hip on a sigh, then assured her of their silence, 'Whatever you want, Sweetie.'

'Good. Thank you. Now - let's do this.' Bones settled her shoulders into the mattress, and waited for the scan to begin. Outside the bedroom they heard the haunting ring tone of a wolf howling at the moon, which made them all flinch, and freeze for a reflective moment.

**!**

Booth growled his frustration as he quickly answered his violated cell, 'Seeley Booth…'

"_Booth, its Sweets. We have a - situation…" _Booth hit the speaker button so Jack could hear too, recognising the grave tone in Sweets._ "Agent Shaw was delivered a parcel this afternoon at her home. Currently she's hovering over it with a hand on it - unable to move. Its been confirmed as a bomb - and its booby trapped. We believe Pelant may have planted it…" _Jack and Booth exchanged mortified looks. _"Obviously the bomb squad is trying to defuse it as we speak but Agent Shaw wanted you know, no matter what happens - you're not to blame yourself…_"

It took a few moments for Sweets' words to sink in, then, 'Sssshit! _Fuck _this bastard! I'm coming - call off the squad. I'll be there as soon as I can.' Abruptly ending the call, Booth pushed his fingers through his hair, then snapped at Jack, '_Tell_, Bones. Tell - Bones, tell her. Oh. _Jesus _- tell her I…' Booth struggled for the words but Jack heard them all the same, and knew what was required of him.

'I know, Booth. Go,' he said sympathetically, seeing and feeling his turmoil. 'She'll understand. She understands you better than any of us.' Booth snagged the door of the motor home open, with one last look to the bedroom door. With a flicker of tension in his jaw and saltwater brimming his eyes, he ran down the steps, and away…

**!**

A/N: I'm baaAaack… *insert wicked laugh & scary axe waving* Reviews most welcome; _if _there's anybody still reading at ! What's happened to Bones? Will Booth go BOOM saving Agent Shaw, or Sweets - OR Caroline? Where's Christine & Max now? These and other question will be answered in the next instalments of 'Pelant'. Hugs Lebxeb. XX. Twitter: Bexbel.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: **All characters portrayed here are fictional. No infringement of rights intended. Bones & its characters are a product of & not mine. No financial gain is received from this work of fiction.

**Summary: **Pelant's vile rampage starts to bite deep. Can the Team pull together to bite back? Remember reader, "Nothing is as it seems…" - Seeley Booth.

**Rating: **A straight **M/NC17 **for imagery & profanity**. **(You are warned)

**Thanks: **to these reviewers I can't get to via PM: **Boneslady**: Your wish is my command ;). **Jsboneslover**: Expect more twists & turns GF! **Lipush**: Yes, soz! Expect a rat-a-tat of chapters to make up for my tardiness ;). **Love2read2much** (cp): Thx & brace yourself, my friend. *EEK* **Parmr**: Thx - will do! & last but _not _least; **tmkearney**: Thanks ever so! X.

Al'righty, on with the show… Quiet on set! Lights - camera - _action_!

**Pelant**

**Chapter VI**

**Oceanus Cruise Ship**

**Venice Lagoon**

**Italy**

The elegant peel of bells coming from the majestic campaniles in the distance made Max smile, and look across the shimmering lagoon to the floating city in the distance. The campaniles were buzzed by flocks of swirling pigeon that rose from their roosts as the eight o'clock bells rang out, and boats drifted up and down the sublimely crooked Grand Canal.

From his Presidential Suite's balcony, which was bathed in warm late evening sunshine, the view was unadulterated Canaletto and stirred his soul. He'd always wanted to come to Venice with _his _Christine, and felt pangs for being here without her. But as he looked down into his arms at his granddaughter feeding contentedly, he thought _this _Christine was a fine, worthy substitute, and in a way, she _was _here with him.

Christine's bright eyes stared into his as she suckled, and he toyed gently with her flexing fingers. Max smiled hard at her pretty face, and she paused her guzzling to smile back just as strongly. Max chuckled at her carefree glorious smile and their deepening connection.

'H'ooh. My _little _poppet, you have your Mommy's eyes _and _smile,' he idolised with pride. 'Come on, stop messin' about - drink up.' He repositioned the teat at her lips and Christine continued obediently, squeezing his index finger in her tiny grasp.

Looking back towards the city, Max said, 'After this I'm taking you for a stroll around St Mark's Square. There's a little place I've always wanted to visit. Well, your _Granny _always wanted to visit. Then what do you say to a _gondola _ride?' he cooed, excitedly flaring his eyes at her. 'Yeeeah, that'll be _fun_, won't it?' Christine suckled harder as if to confirm she was indeed excited by the suggestion.

Max felt a hand softly settle on his shoulder, and looked up over it. Maria, his personal nurse from Mexico, smiled affectionately at him, and for this trip: she was his assumed younger wife. She bent down beside his chair to adjust the drip-rate of the chemotherapy drug that was running into the back of his hand. 'You shouldn't go out tonight, Max. You must _rest_,' she warned gently, in her silky voice that felt like honey trickling into his ears. Max grinned at her as she stood beside him, watching Christine finish her milk with a warm exotic smile teasing her pouty lips, and her elegant hand still on his shoulder.

'I'll be _fine_, Maria,' he eased. 'Its tomorrow this crappy stuff kicks in. Did you get those postcards from the gift shop?' he changed the subject, not prepared to waste precious time lounging in bed or letting his cancer treatment dictate his life.

Maria smiled harder, knowing she wasn't going to change his mind about resting nor going out. She'd discovered Max had an absorbing zeal for life and thought his cancer an inconvenience rather than something to fear and bow down to. She greatly admired his stamina, determination and his almost flippant dismissal of his virulent treatments. His passion to protect his family and his devout faith that their torment would be eased knowing Christine was out of harms way was to her, alluring. She'd sensed in Max qualities she'd rarely seen or witnessed before, and that in itself was intriguing and compulsive to her. When he'd asked her to come with him on this demanding trek, she only needed a few moments to make up her mind. It was almost as if she'd been waiting for this opportunity to present itself to her, so she'd agreed almost immediately. She had no ties or family to speak of, so it wasn't a wrench.

She knew there were considerable risks involved, not only to his health and aftercare, which she was totally responsible for. But they would be acting, hiding and even lying, all the while caring for a beloved, threatened child. And there was something compelling in that. She didn't know how long it was going take either before she could return to Mexico. However, she wasn't in any rush to return. It was an adventure of sorts; a scary fugitive life, but so far, lived in great comfort and with few problems or obstacles. They got on extremely well. She adored caring for Christine as much as she did caring for him. He was affable; full of fascinating stories and a pleasure to be around. An educated, street-savvy man with a handsome smile and mischievous sense of humour. Plus, a razor-sharp, calculating mind and their twenty years age difference hadn't posed a problem as yet.

'Yes,' she said. 'They had quite a large selection from around the world. Do you want me to bring them?' she asked, gesturing inside the suite towards them.

'No. I'll write them tomorrow when we set sail again.' Christine finished her bottle, and promptly belched, making them both gasp in shock at the might burp, then chuckle. Christine giggled too, mimicking the adults amusement at her riotous satisfaction.

Maria took her from Max's arms, saying, 'I'll change her for our visit into the city tonight.'

'Thanks, Maria. I think this stuff is nearly finished,' he observed, glancing at the bag hanging from the stand. Maria nodded to confirm, then walked into the suite. 'Put on that cute dress we brought her. She'll look _scrummy _in that,' he called over his shoulder, with a gleeful smile.

'Ok! Do you want a drink?' Maria busied herself with Christine not noticing Max was getting up, and dragging the stand with him to join her.

'Am I allowed one?' he asked with a wry smile.

'Ha! Since when do you listen to what _I _say?' Max stepped over the threshold of the patio doors, as she looked up from changing Christine. He came over, and sat on the bed, staring at Christine as she wiggled and cooed. 'She is _very _healthy and _sooo _happy…' Max nodded, but losing his smile, then reflectively looked out of the window again. Maria took a double take of him, sensing a change in his mood. 'What is it, Max?'

It took a while for him to answer her. 'This _shit _better work…' he sneered under his breath, feeling his eyes burn. Maria understood his anger and fear, and couldn't help but sympathise. 'Chrissy should be with her Mom and Dad, and I should be with Tempe…'

'But you are, Max. You've been there for them all and _still _are - you know this. If it wasn't for you doing this who knows what would've happened.' She saw him nod slowly, but unconvincingly.

'I'm just having a moment... But being here - Venice, has bought back…' Max trailed off, clearly emotional.

'Your wife?' He nodded again, looking at the cannula in the back of his hand now. 'You miss her - her guidance and council…'

'I see her in Chrissy. I see Tempe in her too - its so hard. I - we missed so much when we disappeared. We never expected to be away so long...' Max paused to take a breath. 'We abandoned her, you see?' he confessed, his eyes etched with shame and heartbreak. 'We left Tempe alone when she needed us most. I've - we never forgave ourselves. Its eaten away at me, as it did Christine.' Max paused again to force his chin to stop quivering, casting his watery eyes downwards again.

Maria sat down softly on the bed opposite Max with Christine between them. Christine kicked her legs, and murmured cheerfully, not picking up on the mood swing. 'I understand,' Maria said, nodding herself. 'You're trying to make up for it now…' Max nodded, then searching her eyes, hoped not to see contempt in them. With a smile, she reached over Christine, and took his hand, as she proffered, 'But, Max - how can you expect others to forgive you when you can't forgive yourself? Its not healthy and _may _have made you ill.' Max quirked his lips, looking at her hand in his. 'From what you've told me, Tempe is very logical. She would understand what you did - especially now, after what you've done here and for Christine,' she bolstered, while squeezing his hand.

Touched, Max cracked a slight smile, and said, 'I hope so, Maria.' Then he kissed the back of her hand softly, patted it, then smiled at her more powerfully. After a shared moment, Max flared his eyes, and grinned cheekily. Maria knew her old Max was back as he said defiantly, 'I'm gonna _beat _this thing, you'll see, Maria. I've beaten murder raps before, this cancer is gonna be a piece'a'cake!' Maria gifted him a blast of perfect poachable pearls and stunning smile. 'Put your glad-rags on - I'm taking you to dinner. There's a little trattoria just off St Mark's Square called Il Divo -,' he crooned engagingly, 'where the locals sing arias from the _best _operas while we eat pasta and guzzle warm Chianti - sound good?'

'Sounds _wonderful_,' she confirmed, gently removing the cannula from the back of his hand.

'Thank you, Maria,' he breathed, watching her face closely, almost shyly. She flicked her eyes to his, noting that wasn't just a thank you for removing his tether but for her gentle council too.

She offered just as softly, 'You're welcome…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! **

**Agent Genevieve Shaw's Residence**

A balmy summer storm was brewing fast when Booth arrived with a screech of tires just short of the police cordon at the end of Shaw's street. A morbid gathering of press, neighbours and curious onlookers that had been evacuated from their homes stood mumbling their expectations. A cloud of steamy sweat, adrenaline, anticipation and fear hung above their heads, and infused the heavy air with sense of foreboding.

Booth waded through the semi-quiet crowd, nudging with elbows to shift the fascinated people aside. The drone of the CNN helicopter overhead drowned out the protestations of his urgent shoving and hasty rush to the nearest officer.

'I'm Special Agent Booth - let me through.' The officer looked him up and down, clearly not that naive.

'Badge?' he asked, not falling for that old chestnut. Badge-less, Booth huffed, visible agitated.

'Look - call Doctor Lance Sweets or AD Hacker - he must be here…' Booth knew he sounded panicked, but tried to calm himself. 'Sweets called me to come. Agent Shaw is one of the Agents under me. She holding the _bomb_, for Christ's sake. Just let me through!' Booth lifted the feeble ineffectual orange tape, and went duck under it. The officer planted his hand on Booth's chest, and another on his weapon ready to draw it.

'Hey - not so fast. I need to see a _badge_!' The crowd all muttered, and backed off slightly.

'Don't screw with me. I'm _so _not in the mood.'

Hearing a commotion behind her, Caroline looked up the street, and saw Booth facing up to an officer.

'Cavalry's here,' she said, nudging Sweets beside her. Sweets looked over his shoulder, and immediately set off down the street.

'Let him through! I can vouch for him. That's Special Agent Booth! Let him go!' he hollered from a distance.

'See - that's who I am,' Booth sneered sarcastically at the officer, pointing to Sweets. Booth snagged the officers hand off his t-shirt, and trotted to meet up with Sweets. En route he scanned the street, and assessed the situation before they were in talking distance.

Both sides of the pretty suburban street were lined with armoured vehicles that looked enormous next to the average saloons. The downdraft from the helicopter was wrestling with high tree branches, and above it, slate grey clouds hung heavy with warm rain. The tension in the sky was only matched by the thick atmosphere which weighed heavy on all the faces sheltering behind the armour plating. He spotted three other vehicles he recognised: a Jeffersonian utility vehicle and two paramedic ambulances stood by, hoping not to be used. Then he spotted in the distance a fire truck. He could see Shaw's house ahead to his right, with another cordon around it. At the front, just right of the lawn, was the green front door. It was open. On the mat he could just see the brightly-coloured parcel through the barricade of sandbags and flack and blast pads that had been set up to protect the street, Shaw and Bomb Squad attempting to disarm it. The Kevlar cordon was at least four foot high, and three blast-suited Bomb Squad moved carefully, and slowly behind it. But he couldn't see Shaw.

A rumble of thunder in the distance jolted through everyone watching on, and they looked up to sky, except Booth. He rattled off his questions and apologies like a machine gun, 'I got stuck in traffic. What's happening? How's she doing? I need to suit up. Whose in charge? Is she still holding it? Why are they still working on it - I told you to call them _off?_'

'Slow _down_, Booth -,' Sweets grabbed his arm, but Booth snatched it out of his grasp, 'it's a very _fluid _situation.'

Booth balked, 'What's that _supposed _to mean?'

'Take a breath, calm _down _and I'll explain.' Booth came to edgy halt next to Caroline, and snatched the binoculars out of her hand. Caroline rolled her eyes, quirking her lips, without commenting on his snatch. Sweets filled him in while he scanned the front door area, 'By fluid - I mean they've disarmed it already - but are checking before they move it. Its been X rayed and the Jeffersonian staff have taken what trace evidence they can from the surrounding mat and parcel. And - we have a _finger _print from the door bell and wrapping paper.' Booth snapped his eyes to Sweets, who nodded slowly. Booth felt a little of his tension slip away on hearing things were going so well.

'Would he be so sloppy?' Booth thought out loud, looking back through the binoculars.

'They're checking them against Pelant's in the van now,' he said solemnly.

'You said it was booby trapped…?'

'Yeah - it has a mercury tilt trigger inside. It was designed so that if the hair wire didn't set it off when she picked it up, the tilt switch would trip when the parcel went over 180 degrees as a back up. They've disconnected the hair wire from under the package, so as long as they don't tilt it over one eighty, its safe.' Booth nodded slowly, still watching the bulky, masked figures moving behind the blast shields.

'That's not easy to set up, I know,' Booth muttered from experience.

'No. They're making double sure before they move it. But they've liquidated the Semtex. That was apparently _fairly _easy to do.'

'Do they know what's inside it?'

'Yeah. A 1lb of Semtex - or a homemade equivalent, a lithium battery from a cell phone - probably a BlackBerry: standard issue. Wendell's in the van checking the images right now. And, err, circuit boards.' Booth snapped his eyes to Sweets.

'Boards?' he queried the plural.

Curious, Sweets asked, 'Yeah. Why is that significant to you?'

'Well, why two? In my experience one would be enough. Both triggers are routed through the one board; one fails, the other kicks in. It just makes no sense to have _two _boards - unless…'

'Oh. Here they come…' Sweets interrupted, just as a flash of lightening crackled the air igniting the plasma and the heavens suddenly fell, followed by a ground shaking rumble of thunder. Everybody instinctually ducked, some of the audience screeched in shock, assuming it was the bomb going off. Caroline, Sweets and Booth all exchanged glances, then snorted at their jumpiness.

Nodding towards the three bulbously covered bomb squad heading gingerly across the front lawn, Sweets informed, with a residual smile, 'That's Lieutenant James Pearson, in the middle, carrying it - _very _carefully -,' Booth could see the parcel properly now: its bright wrapping triggered a nagging thought as Sweets continued, 'And Commander Luke Bogoza is lagging behind, and on Pearson's right is our _very _own…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Simultaneously**

**In A Nearby Street**

Leaning against his Ducati, with the engine running, Pelant pushed speed dial #2 on his cell with a casual smile on his thin lips. As he waited for it to connect, another bolt of lightning flashed the street white as the rain pummelled the sidewalk beside him. He was close to being drenched through, but he didn't care. The rain was warm and the stifling air was freshened by the downpour. He thought the natural drama very seductive and arrogantly thought he couldn't have timed this moment any better.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Agent Shaw's street**

'Answer your freaky cell, Cher - those feckin' wolves are starting to piss me off!' Caroline barked at Booth.

Finally hearing the ring tone over the storm, he snatched the cell from his back pocket with his eyes still on the squad nearing. 'Booth.'

"_Oh. Dear -,_" Pelant's smarmy tone slowed Booth's blood in his veins as it ran icy, and shrivelled his heart, freezing him, "_you shouldn't have answered it - but I'm __**so **__glad you did..._" Booth's calculating eyes snapped to the advancing Bomb Squad then the package one of them was carrying. Booth's world ground to a halt.

Leaning into Booth slightly, Sweets whispered, 'As I was saying, and that's our very own…' As Pelant's call disconnected in Booth's ear a blinding flash of light, this time not white but red and orange, seared their retinas and the shockwave rocked them where they stood, impacting them mid-chest, and sucked the words out of Sweets' mouth. Windows blew in and the loud shattering was matched by the screams and gasps of horror from the crowd as they all ducked or ran to preserve their lives.

A ghastly pall of caustic black smoke, vital evidence, and three bodies billowed into the air and were tossed effortlessly like salad leaves. The blast gouged a crater in Shaw's front yard: turf; soil, tree boughs and glass shards mushroomed. Cars rocked on their tires, and a chorus of alarms wailed out along the street. Amber hazard lights flashed, thunder boomed, and with the rain, down came a macabre debris of three twisted, blooded bodies with sickening thuds to the raped ground.

The helicopter above the scene of carnage backed off and went higher, but still kept filming for the hungry public watching on at home.

To Booth's left, out of the rocking Jeffersonian truck, ran Wendell and Agent Shaw with mortified expressions, and looked to him. Seeing Shaw safe, Booth instantly screamed through the cacophony and a fine mist of blood that was descending, 'WHO-IS-THAT-_WHO_-IS-IT?' He pelted across the street his face blackened with soot, muscles pumped, dodging falling and fallen debris. Other's were quick to assist and came from every direction as he skidded to halt by a severed arm still holding a battered Jeffersonian chrome case. The person the limb belonged to lay a few feet away, and was convulsing violently with mortal shock on their back, and bleeding out. Booth scrambled to them, and with a trembling hand wiped the cracked mask to see which of his treasured squints it was.

'_Jesus_. God _no _- MEDIC!' he hollered over his shoulder, while he put pressure on the gnarled stub that was left of their right arm. Booth's hands were soon awash with blood as it pumped out of the dying, agonised body from a vital artery. The lush lawn turned crimson under the body. The blood pooling under Booth's knees soaked into his jeans; creeping up his thighs. Staring into their terrified eyes, his bristling with tears, Booth wailed desperately again, '_MEDICS!_' Then he whimpered, 'Sorry, I'm so sorry…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Simultaneously**

**Correctional Facility**

**Motor Home**

Jack, Cam, Ange and Bones watched in stunned silence the CNN's aerial news feed of the aftermath of the explosion. Ange and Cam's eyes brimmed with tears, while Bones sat rocking slightly on the edge of the couch, as she watched the close-up of Booth vainly trying to save her interns life.

'Who is it - which one?' Ange asked, stumbling to sit beside Bones, and trembling. She glanced to Bones for an answer, seeing her ultra-observant friend already knew by the anguish etched into her eyes.

The shaky blood-soaked images and rushed traumatised commentary of the unfolding events were interrupted when the motor home door opened. 'Time to go, Brennan. Time's up,' the butch guard announced. Bones didn't look over to her, just continued to watch the TV as if in a trance.

Jack did though, and said curtly, pointing at the TV images, 'Give her a break, that's her family dying there.'

'Not my problem, Sweet Cheeks. Come on, get _up _'n' out.' Unmoved, the guard pulled her by the forearm to stand. Bones complied, too weak to protest: her eyes fixed on Booth's fraught image, and numbed by it.

They all dragged their eyes away from the TV to say goodbye to Bones. Each of them gave her a solid hug and words of comfort which she couldn't, at this juncture, register, return or reciprocate.

Cuffed, and as she took the first step out of the motor home, Bones paused to turn back to them, and said tremulously, 'Please, pass on my sincere condolences to Daisy's parents and, and L-Lance, of course - I will write to them both soon…' They all nodded which dislodged harrowed tears onto their cheeks, Jack's included.

Bones looked down to her feet as she took the next step, which dislodged her tears too. She saw them splash onto the steps and tarmac yard as she was frog-marched back to her cell.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

'How did she know?' Jack asked, watching Bones cross the courtyard flanked by her guards through the grimy window.

'By her gait, I expect, and Lance. Look a him, he's _distraught_. Oooh. _Jesus _- he's trying to hold her together.' Ange grimaced, then turned her face away from the TV. 'My God, do they have to _show _this? Turn it off - turn it off, Cam! This is a sick violation! Fucking blood lust!' Ange's blood boiled, and her body stiffened while her eyes leeched revenge and panic. Jack immediately engulfed Ange in his arms, as she began to lose it. She fought his embrace and compassion, wanting and needing to vent. 'NO! Let me go! GET OFF ME!' She ripped herself out of his arms, and paced the confined, grimy space, not wanting to be calmed. Cam switched it off, then sat down on the couch, weeping silently into her palms. Ange raged on, blasting Jack with, 'Bren is virtually _catatonic_! Booth is disappearing a little bit day-by-day with his _guilt_. Pelant is biting chunks of flesh off us at _will_. He's just _blown _up Daisy, _our _Daisy! Don't you see? If this goes on much longer - Christine will have no one to come home TO!' Ange came to a stand still, and stopped gesticulating her violent tirade. She took a ragged breath, and sneered with all the venom of a spitting cobra , 'I wanna _kill _Pelant - kill the screwed-up son-of-a-bitch… Lets KILL him - we can _DO _this!'

'Ange… that isn't the answer,' Jack tried to calm her with reason.

'SHUT UP! Its one answer! Blast this mother fucker back to hell.' Ange stepped into his face, bristling with her wrath. 'I'll do it if you haven't got the _balls _for it.'

'Hey - cool down, Angie.' She spun away from him, gritting her molars. 'You're angry, I get it, but attacking ME isn't gonna solve _anything_!'

Ange spun back to yell in his face, '_FUCK YOU!_'

'SCREW YOU!'

'STOP IT - _BOTH _OF YOU!' Cam screamed over them sneering at one another. They froze, and snapped their wild eyes to her. Cam stood. 'Don't you think this is _exactly _what he's wanted all along - us tearing each other apart? We start losing it with each other we lose sight of _him_...' Jack and Ange snuck glances at one another, and sighed out their tension, knowing Cam was right.

Taking a deep breath herself, and setting her jaw, Cam came over, and stood between them, placing a palm on each shoulder. 'This is down to _us _now - and we're gonna do it by the _book_.' Jack and Ange stared into each others eyes. 'We made progress today. We extracted an intact chip out of Tempe's thigh - Pelant can't track her now. That video evidence is irrefutable. And we're gonna trace it down to the last molecule - atom even, _and _back to Pelant.' Ange lifted her chin, in a gesture of determination. 'We've got _two _crime scenes to investigate; Shaw's and Booth's homes. This explosion is big news and I'm sure we'll have every resource at our disposal and all the help we need, and some. We've got to redouble our efforts on that code Ethan left us too. And after what _we _witnessed today, Ange, we need to dig a little deeper into this, _altercation _Tempe spoke of…' Ange nodded thoughtfully, taking a deep calming breath. 'If we do this right, professionally, I have no doubts we _will _catch Pelant and Christine _will _have a family to come back to...'

'Amen,' Jack said solidly in reply. Ange cracked a smile, reached for his hand, and squeezed it. In turn Jack took Cam's hand, and squeezed it too.

Holding her friends closer till all their brows touched, uniting them as one force, Cam added gently, 'There will be time for us all to grieve for Daisy… But the best way to honour her is to do our jobs and put this _SOB _away - forever.'

Ange mumbled after a snap of thoughtful silence, 'Or we could just shoot him…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! **

**A/N: **Don't shoot the author! *Bex ducks behind sofa, waving a white flag* Poor Daisy, poor Sweets! Where will Christine turn up next, where will Pelant? Will Max survive cancer and find love? Will Ethan's saliva code unlock Pelant's evil plan or just confuse the musketeers? Has Pelant already got to Bones in prison? What's with all the macro chips? Will there be anything left of Booth before they catch Pelant? These and other questions will be answered in the next instalments of, **Pelant**. Reviews & PM's always welcomed & responded to, or pop in for a chat: at Bexbel on Twitter. Hugs, Lebxeb XX.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: **All characters portrayed here are fictional. No infringement of rights intended. Bones & its characters are a product of & not mine. No financial gain is received from this work of fiction.

**Summary: **Pelant's vile rampage starts to bite deep. Can the Team pull together to bite back? Remember reader, "Nothing is as it seems…" - Seeley Booth.

**Rating Please note: This chapter is rated T but the story is M in parts. **

**Thanks: **to those still reading and sticking with me on this one. Kudos. XX

**Pelant**

**Chapter VII**

**Christopher Pelant's Residence**

**Fifty Minutes After The Explosion.**

The heavy thumps on his door and shouts of, '_FBI - open up!_' made Pelant smirk, and his stomach tingle with excitement. He'd been expecting this interruption to his productive day. 'FBI - open this door!'

As he rose nonchalantly from his couch to answer the persistent rattling, he thought it appropriate to leave the TV on and the CNN news feed of the aftermath. Pelant wanted to see their expressions of outrage and horror: he wanted to see their pain and struggling for emotional control; it made him feel the omnipotence of his genius scheme.

He dropped his smirk, and put on an expression of mild surprise as he opened the door, after unhooking the chain. Pelant stepped back to allow them in without prejudice. 'What's this about?' he asked calmly. Two armed and vested FBI officers stepped over the threshold followed by Agent Flynn, who ambled in like an old friend after wiping his feet on his mat. The Agents scanned the room, TV channel and him, then they spread out around the room like sentries. Pelant surreptitiously kept one eye on them as Flynn responded to his enquiry.

'Don't you know, Christopher?' Flynn asked coolly, pushing his hands into his pants pockets. Pelant shook his head, settling back to the couch comfortably, with an audible sigh. 'If you've been watching the TV news - you should've been expecting us…' Pelant snagged his head back, faking confusion effortlessly. Flynn rose an informative brow towards the TV, playing along for now.

Pelant liked this particular Agent on his case: he was handsomely arrogant; competent, polite, ice cold, and barely showed his real emotions, which reminded him of someone he admired - himself. 'Why? Oh. Wait - you think that _dreadful _explosion had something to do with _me?' _he fawned as if butter wouldn't melt in his mouth, treading a fine line. _'_My lawyer might take this visit as harassment, in that case. If you bothered to check you'd find I've been in all day.'

Flynn nodded, and gestured to the couch to ask permission to sit next to him. With a nod Pelant allowed it, but was on his guard instantly. Flynn sat next to him, and slumped back, crossing his ankles in a relaxed pose, as he informed casually, 'Ohhh. We did check, Christopher,' while watching the repeated TV coverage of the explosion. Pelant scrutinised his face, and felt the tension rise in his muscles when Flynn grinned hard at him suddenly, then sat up shoulder to shoulder with him. 'You see, we know you were here because that tag told us you were.' Flynn pointed to it with a flippant wave of his limp hand but duplicity in his eyes. 'But here's the thing, Christopher…' he deliberately paused, and leant into Pelant's shoulder slightly as he explained, 'Unfortunately, that lightening storm fried a few electrical circuits apparently and knocked out the transformer between here and the monitoring station - and _guess _what?'

Pelant hadn't thought to check if there had been an interruption in the signal, and swallowed his unease, feeling his stomach toss and his pulse quicken. But he didn't allow his body to betray his real emotions despite his adrenalin surge. 'What?'

'Well -,' Flynn went on cannily, 'when the system came back online _all _the pretty lights, bells and whistles started screaming that you _weren't _here. What do you make of that, Christopher?'

Pelant thought quickly. 'Well, obviously it was a computer glitch. I was here.'

'Yes, so you say.' Flynn grinned at Pelant, noting the tiniest twitch in his left cheek just below his eye. The message had been sent, Flynn thought and noted; Pelant knew, he knew he was responsible for the bomb and the death. But he also knew they didn't have enough evidence to arrest him for it.

'What does the monitoring station say now?' Pelant parried, confident that his program must have come back online.

'Ohhh. It says you're here but there were _eight _minutes when you weren't - or you removed your tag.' Flynn didn't look into his eyes as he spoke this time, but could smell Pelant's scent thicken. He let that fact sink in before he added coyly, 'That's the tricky bit, you see? Eight minutes is no where near enough time for you to get over to Agent Shaw's home, plant a bomb which killed a Jeffersonian employee and severely injured two brave members of our nation's Bomb Squad, and get back here. Its completely impossible.'

'No, eight minutes isn't long at all.'

'No… But it does tell us some things of consequence.'

'Like what, Agent Flynn?'

'Well, it _implies _the tag you're wearing has been tampered with or its signal, and that you were indeed out of this residence for sometime this afternoon.'

'Yes, it must _look _that way. Or…' Flynn looked deep into his eyes, waiting for his explanation. 'It could be that the electrical surge screwed up the program, and gave the monitoring station false information.' Flynn nodded slowly as if to accept that was indeed what happened, observing Pelant's stalwart expression at close quarters. 'I'm _certain _I could find that anomaly if I were given the opportunity to study the corrupted data. I'd be happy to assist the FBI in _any _way I can.'

Flynn beamed at Pelant for his underplayed sycophantic remark. 'I don't doubt that, Christopher! You're a _master _with computer code and all things technical, I understand,' he flattered his ego deliberately. 'Me? I'm useless. I can barely text message! Hahahaa!' Flynn then stood, motioning to the Agents to leave, which they did ahead of him. 'Well, I'm sorry to intrude on your day, Christopher. Thanks for the chat and have a _pleasant _evening. We'll be in touch.' Pelant relaxed, happy to see them leaving.

As Flynn was almost out the door shadowed by Pelant, he paused to say, 'Oh. I nearly forgot - the local PD are outside. They're going to remove that tag - there's no point in you wearing it now. It's obviously faulty or been compromised in some way, as you pointed out.' With that two police officers came to the door with pleasant smiles, ready to remove the tag from his ankle. This was a twist Pelant was not expecting or had calculated in his set of variables, and it threw him for a moment.

'Shouldn't that be done at the station?' he hedged.

'It _could_, but they're here now. Or would you rather we took you down there to remove it?'

'No-no, here's fine - go ahead,' Pelant supplicated quickly, feeling the acid in his stomach quadruple and his pulse shoot up again. Pelant understood he'd been outmanoeuvred in this deadly game of cat and mouse. But he didn't fear the final outcome. He knew he and his lawyer could easily explain away the accusation and cause reasonable doubt about those lost eight minutes to a jury.

Pelant took a seat around his small dining table, and watched as the tag was carefully removed, put in an evidence bag, then into a case the officers had brought with them. Flynn watched on from the threshold with a friendly smile teasing his lips. 'Thank you, that's a load off,' Pelant remarked, then signed the form of release. 'No replacement tag?' he enquired, backhandedly pointing out their ineptitude but not surprised by it.

'No.' Then Flynn pulled the pin from the grenade with a casual, 'The FBI has dropped all the charges of hacking against you. We've informed your lawyer and the courts. You're a _free _man,' Flynn said pleasantly. 'Good night, Christopher. Sleep well.'

'Does this mean I can leave the house when I like now?'

'Oh. Yes. Please _do_…' Flynn peered into his eyes, as he slowly closed the door behind him with an unmistakable ghostly smirk on his lips. Pelant stood where he was, and thought about his expression and inflection that Flynn left him with. His equally condescending smile dissipated rapidly, realising Flynn was sending him a warning _and _a clear invitation. It was obvious he wanted him to leave the house because he could be got at, and moreover, he could now be trailed easily.

Gritting his jaw, incensed, Pelant snatched up a dining chair, and threw it across his lounge with his rage, with a howl of bitterness. The innocent chair smacked into the TV screen and it exploded with a flash of light, Plexiglas and a plume of smoke, clattering to the floor. He no longer had the anonymity he required nor cover for his illicit outings - he was vulnerable. What's more, the FBI were attempting to flush him out and into a mistake. Pelant vowed he wasn't going to give them the satisfaction of enjoying this small victory for very long.

He tore off to his covert windowless bunker, and switched on the light. He shut down the purged the phantom tag signal program from his computer; it being obsolete now, and got to work. Sitting on his stool, and letting go his fury in a long exhale; he calmed, scanning the players in the game on his photo wall. Each face he considered meticulously, and eventually honed in on one. A smiled crept across his face with his decision made.

With his brow shimmering with perspiration, he tapped furiously on the keypad, and his eyes narrowed at the code he was writing. 'Time to find out where you and that cute little baby are hiding, Max. I've left you alone for far too long now,' he muttered, with his nostrils flaring. 'I wasn't fooled by that postcard, old man - oh no. Let's see…' Pelant thought out loud as his wily fingers scurried across his laptop, and his mind slammed into top gear; loving the challenge and workout, 'Two tickets, one infant, one adult, brought with an American Express card to Hawaii under the name: Mr Torne and Miss Rosie Ribbons. Ha! _Cute_, Max, very cute. On the carrier Continental. Humm. If I were you though, and on the run, I would have stayed well away from the airports and pay cash for any tickets. I'd want to be a _moving _target - umm. A train maybe - cab - private jet?' he ruminated, staring off into space, then, 'Noooo, a boat, and being very sick you'd want a comfortable ride, right? A _cruise _ship - _yes_. But you'd pay cash, wouldn't you, Max? Course you would…' He tapped up the passenger manifests of several cruise liners that had left the Caribbean in the last week, and read through the names and how the trips were paid for. Several matched his logical criteria: by a process of elimination one stood out like a throbbing sore thumb. 'Arrrh. G_otcha_. That didn't take long…' He sat back, admiring his own efficient genius with a smug excited smile. 'You've underestimated me, you _sick _old man,' he sneered.

Physically excited by the prospect of inflicting more carnage, Pelant avidly watched himself type with one hand while the other freed his erection from his pants, and began to pump his sticky cock.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Two Blocks Away From Pelant's Residence**

**FBI SUV**

Another FBI pool vehicle pulled up behind Caroline and Booth. Flynn got out, and came to the window as it was rolled down by the trauma-hardened face of Caroline. Flynn acknowledge Booth with a respectful nod, noting his blood-soaked hands were drying and his clothes changed colour by it. 'We got the tag, the officers will take it directly to the Jeffersonian labs now.' Caroline nodded.

'What did he say?'

'Nothing much, but I could tell he was spooked. I left him with a veiled warning. I've ordered twenty four seven surveillance. He'll be tailed too when he leaves the premises.' Caroline nodded again.

Booth confessed softly, looking utterly parallaxed by events, 'You need to interview me…' Flynn's brow wrinkled into a question, which Booth answered, 'Pelant called me before the bomb went off. He said it was my fault - I shouldn't have answered the call.' Booth dropped his eyes to his lap, and his blackened hands.

Caroline was quick to reassure, sensing him oozing guilt. 'Cher, it wasn't your fault, this is his _sick _doing. We'll trace the call.' Booth shook his head, knowing that would lead nowhere.

'He'll of thought of that. He's too smart to make that mistake. Tell him, Caroline, tell him what Shaw said,' Booth encouraged her to disclose the rest.

Caroline sighed, and looked into Flynn's eyes. 'Agent Shaw said they traced the fingerprints found on the paper and door bell - they matched Booth's…'

Flynn flicked his eyes to his crumbling colleague, and then dropped them to his highly polished brogues. 'Look - I get what Pelant's doing here, Booth - I really do,' he said sympathetically. 'And I _will _interview you - but tomorrow. You need to get home and cleaned up. We can take it from here.' Caroline wholeheartedly agreed with Flynn with a solid nod, then looked to Booth with his head hanging, hoping he would agree.

'He's right, Cher. I'm taking you home.'

'No, not yet - I need to be with Sweets,' Booth said, sounding broken and frail and looking precisely that too. Then he murmured, 'He's got no one now…'

Caroline shrugged a shoulder at Flynn, not surprised by Booth's reluctance to go home. 'Ok, Booth. I'll call you tomorrow to arrange the interview. Tell Sweets…' Flynn trailed off just as Booth nodded, understanding what Flynn wanted to pass on to the young psychologist.

Caroline started the car. Flynn stepped back, and watched her drive up the street and away. Almost immediately Caroline's cell rang out. She'd already put it into the hands free unit, and answered it. 'Talk to me!' she barked, turning onto the freeway with Booth, silent and absent beside her.

'_We're at the crime scene. Ange has gone to be with Sweets. How's Booth?_'

'How d'ya think! He's beside me!'

'_Why are you shouting?_'

'My ears are still ringing - its hard to hear ya!'

'_Ok - sorry. Did they get the tag off Pelant?_'

'Yeah, its being delivered to the lab, pronto - Agent Flynn is escorting it right now.'

'_Good. We've sent Wendell back there. Booth - is there anyway you can get to speak to Doctor B tonight? I'm worried about her - she saw it all on TV and she's worried about you too..._' Booth rested his head on the window, and closed his eyes. Caroline saw his tears leak from under his closed eyes, and prepared to intervene. _'She-she was, well, you understand what I'm trying to say. If she can hear your voice or something - just talk with you maybe she'll feel less…_'

Caroline interceded quickly, 'Ok, Blue Eyes. We know what you're saying. Keep us updated.'

'_Count on it. I gotta go. Bye._'

'Bye, Cher!' With ever increasing glances to Booth's pitiful state, Caroline rolled her head on her shoulders with her sympathy, especially when he broke down completely, and sobbed into his blood-blackened hands without shame. Caroline changed their direction and her mind without consultation.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

Virtually wept out, Booth finally opened his eyes when Caroline turned off the engine. He looked to her with an expression of incredulity. 'Why are we here, you said you were taking me to Sweets?'

'I did, Cher, but you can't go to him like _that_.' She'd taken him back home. 'You're gonna get cleaned up first - don't even _think _of fighting me on this.' She swung herself out of the car, and paced up the drive, not waiting for his arguments. Booth was slow to follow, but realising he had little fight left in him, eventually joined her on the step. He fumbled slowly for his keys, then opened the door. Caroline headed straight for the kettle, and switched it on, commanding, 'Go shower, I've got some calls to make.' Without a word Booth slowly headed off to the bathroom watched secretly by Caroline, as she hunted out two mugs and the coffee.

Tapping in a number on her cell, she tucked it under her ear, then spooned coffee into the mugs. 'Tony - its Caroline - you know all those favours you owe me - I'm calling one in now...'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

When Booth came out of the shower Caroline was sat on their bed, sipping a steaming cup of coffee. She'd placed his on the night stand and he could smell the small comfort of something other than death, blood and tears in the air.

She stood, noting his red rimmed eyes and their puffiness plus a few kicks and grazes on his face and forearms he'd collected today, but nothing serious. 'You look better - do you feel it?' Booth waggled his head noncommittally, making straight for the coffee, and sat down on the bed too, to drink it. Caroline checked the time on his night stand clock, saying, 'In approximately four minutes the house phone will ring. Answer it - you'll have five minutes. Make the most, Cher.' With that cryptic statement aired, she paced out of the bedroom, leaving him alone with his thoughts. After three minutes he'd worked it out, and felt his heart rate escalate in anticipation of the phone ringing.

On the second ring he picked it up but was unable to say anything of worth to her - what could he say? he questioned himself. She'd lost yet another intern to this dangerous quest they were on and he couldn't prevent the loss. He couldn't console or hold her this time, nor reiterate the complexities of love and hate: the unfairness of living and dying. The excruciating pain of grief he knew she was feeling and the impotence she was experiencing were his burdens too. Like irons around his shoulders they weighed him down. The principle he held dear and high: having faith that good always won out in the end was now in tatters. That notion had been just a noble assumption, not a fact.

'_Booth?_' He nodded, unable to respond yet, but relieved to hear her voice although it was cracked and weak. '_Booth - are you there?_' He nodded again, with tears boiling up in his eyes, and chewed his bottom lip. There was an elongated silence which was filled with need, remorse, and complete understanding between them. They didn't rush the moment but felt it, and grieved together in the desolate silence.

Feeling his heartbreak in the numbness, as well as her own, Bones ventured softly, '_I saw it all. You did what you could. I'm so sorry I can't be there to hold you. Please, talk to me, Booth - __**please**__,_' she pleaded for a reply now, needing to hear his voice.

Wiping away a stream of tears from his cheeks, he bleated, 'Sorry-sorry, I'm here. I-I couldn't save her, Bones…'

She attempted to swallow the lump in her throat, then sighed empathetically, '_I know… You tried so hard - __**so **__valiantly._'

'I'm sorry I left you - I shouldn't have left you.'

'_You __**had **__to. I understand you had to try and save Agent Shaw. Its who you are and what I admire in you so much._'

'No, you don't understand, Bones. Pelant called me just before it went off and said I shouldn't have answered my cell - answering it set the bomb off.' Bones heart broke for him, and could almost taste his inevitable guilt and responsibility.

'_He's obviously studied your psyche, Booth. He knew you would come - he waited for you to arrive there. I can't tell you not to feel guilty because I know you will whatever I say, but trust me, no one else will think you are._'

Little did Bones realise that wasn't wholly true in the circumstances, so Booth brought her up to date with, 'They found fingerprints on the paper. I recognised the pattern, Bones. Remember that paper I wrapped your Christmas stocking gifts in, that you laughed at?'

'_Yes, with the snowman and elves urinating in the snow._' Booth grinned, just, hearing her recall the lighter memory from a few short months ago, and imagined her delicate smile her tone implied.

'Yeah. They were _my _fingerprints… I expect he took the paper from the cupboard when he planted the bugs,' Booth surmised, looking around the room as if it felt dirty now Pelant had violated it. He noted too that the bedside clock showed three minutes had lapsed since she called.

Bones knew this misplaced guilt was going to crush him out of existence, and that terrified her. There was little more she could say to him at this point and with time not on their side, she gently changed the subject, not wanting to talk about Pelant. It seemed essential at this point, despite their grief, to reaffirm their love for one another, in case they didn't get the chance again. They both knew at anytime, one or both of them, could be snuffed out just like Daisy or Vincent had been. So Bones asked sweetly, '_Where are you, Booth?_' She rested her head on her arm outstretched on the table, and closed her eyes to imagine him.

The man whose cell she'd been handed, hovered nervously outside the door, sneaking glances to her every few moments, and checking his watch religiously.

'I'm at home. Caroline brought me back to clean up before I go to be with Sweets for a while.' She wasn't surprised to hear that he was going to be with Sweets, in fact, she expected nothing less of him, and nodded.

'_In our bedroom?_'

'Yeah, on our bed…' He looked slowly around the room then over the bed. 'I miss you so much - sleeping beside me, Bones…' Bones eyes blistered now, as she nodded mute, empathising totally. 'The way you drape yourself over me and hold me all night.' Booth lay down to the covers, as he continued, 'I miss waking up with you with the sun on your face.' He caressed the smooth, empty pillow beside him; where she should be. 'And I love when you open your eyes and smile at me as if I'm better than your dreams.' Bones smiled at his perception.

'_I miss your embrace too - how you caress my back in your sleep. How safe I feel in your arms, and how unconditional your affection is. You __**are **__my dreams manifest, Booth._'

Touched beyond measure, Booth closed his eyes to her soft voice in his ear, and imagined her whispering that as she lay beside him. 'Oh. Bones, what are we gonna do - its such a wreck? We can't take much more of this before we implode. My prayers aren't working either - it just keeps getting…' Booth wiped his eyes again, and took a deeper ragged breath. He dragged her pillow into his chest, and crushed it to him.

'Don't give in, Booth,' she interrupted, almost hearing defeat in his words and his faith slipping. 'Don't let him have the satisfaction of beating us. I'm _trusting _you to do alone because I _know _you can without me beside you.'

Seeing the man outside the door tapping his watch face, and gesturing to her to wrap up her call, Bones rushed to say, '_One other thing, I want to apologise for today; for assuming you arranged the motor home because you needed a physical release._'

'You don't have to apologise for that, Bones.'

'_But I do. I realised later you may have thought I saw our relationship, or you, in those shallow terms. I don't ever want you to think I'm only with you because we have Christine together, or that its because we're so well matched physically. I'd love you, Booth with or without Christine in our lives. Don't lose your faith in me, yourself or your God - promise me you won't_.'

Booth grinned weakly. 'I promise.'

'_I'm sorry - I have to go. Tell Baby Duck I…_' It sounded as if she trailed off but in actuality the call had been ended abruptly by a nervous third party.

'I will, Bones. I love you…' Getting no reply, or similar declaration, Booth sagged, and carefully put the phone back on the charger.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**An Hour Later**

**Sweets & Daisy's Apartment**

Caroline pulled up at the apartment block, and looked to Booth. As Booth was exiting the SUV, he noted her not moving to join him.

He queried, 'You coming?' Caroline shook her head, and looked up to the set of window on the third floor. Blinds were dropped on three of them.

'This is a guy-guy situation. I'll wait here - take your time, Cher.' Booth closed the door, and walked up the stoop. He hesitated only slightly before he pushed the relevant apartment button. Caroline heard the door buzz, and watched as Booth went through it, hoping he had the words she didn't to console.

Booth took a deep breath, and blew it out through pursed lips in preparation, then went to tap the dark wooden door but before he did, Sweets opened it. They locked traumatized gazes. Seeing Sweets blood-shot, wet eyes, dishevelled state, and still in the suit he had on earlier, Booth tilted his head in sympathy. Sweets' chin began to quiver, and his eyes fell to the floor along with his tears. Booth stepped over the threshold, and crushed Sweets in his powerful arms, heeling the door closed behind him.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! **

**Two Days After The Explosion**

**Entering the Suez Canal - Heading South.**

**Oceanus Cruise Liner**

In a dark nefarious cloud of agony, the magnitude of which he'd never experienced before, Max whimpered his pain, with his eyes watering. On his knees over a toilet, he watched as his last spew of vomit hit the pan, and his stomach cramped so hard it felt like he was throwing up his internal organs.

It was late evening or early morning, he thought, but unsure of which: unable to focus on such trivia. He tried desperately not to disturb his companion or his precious ward with his ugly necessary sickness. Empty and weak, he rolled away from the pan after flushing, and collapsed to the cool tiles, resting his wet cheek to it, and took a moment to recover. His spine and kidneys, particularly, throbbed waves of pain throughout his ravaged body. The severe pain made him sick just as much as the toxic cocktail of chemo drugs that were killing off the last of his cancer but almost killing him in the process.

Panting, he looked up when the door opened slowly, and Maria came in without knocking. Max grimaced; ashamed for waking her, his wretched condition, with saliva strings stuck to his chin, and the stench of bile fogging the air. 'Go away - go back to bed,' he instructed, trying to stand up, and regain some semblance of dignity. She ignored him completely, rinsing a face cloth in cool water in the basin. She glanced down to him, and shook her head slightly as she wrung it out. Kneeling down, stopping him from getting up with a gentle hand on his chest, she placed the cool face cloth on his fevered brow.

'Hold it there,' she instructed softly. He did, calmed by the compassionate touch of her hand and the feel of the cloth. She wetted another face cloth, and wiped his face clean, as she chastised, 'You should've woken me. I have drugs to ease your symptoms and sickness.'

'I know but…'

'But _nothing_. I'm your nurse, Max - let me _nurse _you. You don't have to feel like this. It is not your penance to feel this sick and be in pain.' Max closed his eyes, and slumped again, too weak to defend or contradict.

'Is Chrissy ok?' he managed, watching her face as she diligently cleaned him up.

'Perfectly. She's fast asleep - don't worry about her. Its you I'm concerned about. What if you'd passed out and hit your head, eh?'

'I didn't so…' Max attempted to get up again but was restrained gently with a hand over his bare torso.

'Stay _still_, relax - get your breath back.' Max sighed out, and swallowed to moisten his burning throat. Maria poured him a glass of water, then handed it to him.

'I'm sorry -,' he said, closing his eyes as she brushed her fingers over his brow to soothe, 'I'm a bad patient - I hate being sick.' Then he took a sip of water from the glass, and opened his eyes to hers. She smiled, obviously in full agreement with him, and not going to contradict. 'I can't remember, did I make that call or do I have to _make _the call.'

'You made the call, Max -,' she confirmed, '_and _we gave the postcards to those tourists to post for us when they get home. Its all done - don't worry.' Max nodded, and sighed out his obvious relief.

'Has he made contact with him yet?'

'No but as soon as he does, he'll let us know.'

'Sorry about the twenty questions - I'm a little groggy.' Maria nodded, understanding. 'Anything else on the news?'

Maria informed solemnly, 'The young lady's funeral is tomorrow afternoon.' Seeing him nod, she added, 'Lets get you back into bed.' She looped her arm under his, and lifted. Max rose gingerly, and staggered before he found his equilibrium. She bore most of his weight, and they slowly walked into his bedroom.

Max slumped to the bed, and laid back slowly, with an exhausted groan. Maria folded the sheet back over him, then hurried to retrieve his medications. He watched her flit about in her fine satin mint robe with her dark hair free and loose around her shoulders, and thought it a lovely contrast in colours. 'You are to take pain relief _and _the anti-sickness every three hours. You must drink too, Max. You have dehydrated yourself being sick. Here, take these now. The worst symptoms will start to ease from tomorrow. I will wake you to give you more when…' Max cut her off.

'Stay a while - talk to me, could you? Just till I fall to sleep.' He cupped his hand, threw the pills down his throat, and followed them with a few gulps of water, all the while his eyes never left hers. She could see the hope and need in them.

'Ok,' she said, sitting next to him, and making herself comfortable on the top sheet. Max relaxed, thrilled she was going to stay with him a while longer. 'Lay down now, Max, and close your eyes.' He did both with a deep sigh.

Propping herself up on her side, she smoothed his brow with the cool face cloth. 'That feels great, thanks. Tomorrow we need to arrange a few more _ghost _plane tickets.'

Maria nodded that she understood, then ventured a question she didn't think he would answer, or at least deflect, 'How are you funding all these fake trails, Max?'

Max explained with a wry smile, opening his eyes to hers, 'A sympathetic friend is helping out and I have some ill-gotten gains to play with.' Maria smiled strongly back, charmed by his brutal honesty. 'Does that worry you?'

'Not at all! If it concerned me I'd never have agreed to come with you.' Max beamed.

'You're my kinda lady, d'ya know that?' He reached for her hand stoking his brow, and kissed the back of it affectionately. Maria's smile weakened slightly, feeling his lips on her skin, while her pulse reacted. Max noted the subtle fading of her smile was usurped with something deeper in her chestnut eyes.

'Close your eyes, Max.' She pecked his brow, returning to soothe it with the face cloth.

'Tsk. You're so _bossy - _but I like that about ya,' he charmed.

'_Sleep_,' she insisted, glaring at him as if she was going to spank him if he didn't obey her. Max complied, and closed his eyes on a cheeky smile. Just then there was a violent trembling of the ship that set them ridged. A sudden grating jolt, which nearly knocked them out of bed, set their molar on edge, and seemed to go on for an eternity. Christine began to wail in her crib in the next room, woken by the impact, and the muster alarms blared out. They both sat bolt upright as the liner still juddered and floundered.

Max glared at Maria with his heart stalling, saying gravely, 'He's found us…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**A/N: ***Gasp* Will Max, Maria and Christine swim to safety or drown? Will Booth be arrested for murder? Who is this _contact _Max spoke of and who will he contact? Is Pelant creepy enough for you? These and other questions will be answered in the next instalments of, **Pelant**. Reviews always welcomed & replied to. Hugs, Lebxeb. XX.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: **All characters portrayed here are fictional. No infringement of rights intended. Bones & its characters are a product of Fox Inc. & not mine. No financial gain is received from this work of fiction.

**Summary: **"Nothing is as it seems…" - Seeley Booth.

**Rating: M (just)**

**Thanks: **to those I can't get to via PM; **Boneslady**: I'm typing, typing! ;) btw Thx 4 stopping by. XX. **Jsboneslover: **LMAO. But seriously: I humbly thx U 4 all your generous comments. OXO. **JenE**: *snort* Holy cow, indeed! R U hanging in there? XX.

Kleenex at the ready. Roll VT…

**Pelant**

**Chapter VIII**

"_Welcome to the six thirty news bulletin. After yesterday's cruise ship crash in the Suez Canal the Oceanus owners, PMO, say only a few minor injuries were sustained by their shocked passengers and crew, and all have been evacuated from the stricken liner to safety. "The orderly evacuation went without a hitch. There was no panic or disorder. My passengers were very calm and my crew did a professional job of successfully executing the full abandonment order within sixty minutes," Captain George Granville, told our correspondent this morning. The Oceanus is disabled and blocking the Canal causing a huge build up of vessels in the Red Sea and the Mediterranean. Most are diverting and taking the long route around Africa or have cancelled their voyages. A preliminary investigation into the cause of the crash has pointed to a navigational error by one of the eight computer banks which are reliant on GPS co-ordinates and the tug piloting ships through the Canal. There have been rumours circulating that it was a terrorist attack and a deliberate ploy to block the vital waterway. When asked if it could have been possible, Captain Granville refused to comment on the outcome of the investigation which is expected to take months. Salvage teams have been dispatched to_…" Booth turned off his engine, and got out of the car, thinking nothing of the incident a few thousand miles away: he had something else festering in his troubled mind.

Pulling open the huge knurled wooden door of his local church, Booth immediately smelt incense, and was thrown back thirty years to when he was a alter boy. It pained him to be here now though, as the last time he was, they had baptised Christine. That, he recalled, was the last time he was truly happy and when they were last a family.

Instinctually Booth reached to his right, and dipped his middle finger in the holy water, then crossed himself with it. Staring ahead at the effigy of the crucified Christ backlit with the sunrise through the stain glass, he slowly walked up the nave. It was empty but for one lady sitting three pews back from the alter, and on her knees, praying. Booth genuflected, and sat three rows back too on the opposite side, then knelt.

He wasn't here to confess, nor celebrate an early Mass, he was here to fulfil a promise and try to make sense of what had happened. As he said a perfunctory prayer he heard footsteps leave the church, and noted the elderly lady had gone. He was utterly alone. And yet before this day, he'd never felt alone in church before, even when empty. Something was missing; something vital had left him, he realised. A dark void now resided where once inside his chest was an infinitely warm, bright and comforting sense of peace. But it had disappeared, ebbed away, and he didn't know how to get that feeling back or even if he wanted it back; because he knew what he'd lost. Or had he been forced to let it go? he questioned.

He screwed his eyes tighter, and tried to complete his prayer but it felt fake, forced and ridiculous because he knew they weren't going to be answered. He rushed through it, then sat back to the pew, hanging his head disconsolately. As he did he felt a presence beside him, and looked to his right.

A weathered-looking man of sixty plus; earring, love and hate tattooed on his knuckles, with shoulder-length, wispy grey hair in a scruffy ponytail, wearing jeans and a black t-shirt that said, "_God is coming - look busy_," was sitting next to him, and smiling. He'd lost a few teeth too, Booth noted, and if he were to hazard a guess, he thought he might ride a Harley. Booth acknowledge him with a casual smile, and a high chin nod, then looked back down to his empty hands.

'Seeley, isn't it?' the man asked pleasantly in a mid-western accent. Surprised he knew his name, Booth nodded again cagily. 'I have message for you…' Booth turned his head slowly to look at him properly, feeling his pulse quicken, and tension build in his abs and bi-ceps, as he prepared to react.

'Who from?' he asked carefully.

The man ignored that, saying, 'The message is: "Simplify your life and you will prevail."'

Booth cocked a dubious brow, that meaning nothing to him. He thought this man was a kook, spreading his cryptic religious messages to anyone stupid enough to listen. 'Really, that's the message?' he asked sarcastically.

'Yep - and, you need to remember my name.'

'Okaaay,' he purred, placating with, 'What's your name?'

'Daniel, Daniel is my name - like in the Bible, Seeley.' Booth narrowed his eyes at him for a few seconds before Daniel got up, and left the church through a side door. Booth shook his head, nonplussed, then saw he'd dropped a white envelope on the pew. Booth picked it up, and was about to go after him, but when he saw his name on it, he paused.

With his heart pumping faster, Booth looked around the church, checking he was alone again, then opened the envelope. When he saw the contents, he muttered, '_Jesus _Christ…' then ran from the church in pursuit of Daniel. He could hear the tell-tale sound of a popping Harley exhaust grumbling in the distance, but Daniel was long gone.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Correctional Facility & Remand Centre**

Without sleep; tormented by her thoughts, Bones rolled out of bed to sit on the edge of it. She rubbed her face, and felt an unusual heat and dampness on her skin. The air was stale and although the cell door would be opened soon, that time couldn't come soon enough for her. Tasmin was still mewing peacefully, unaware of her restless, uncomfortable night. Her ribs still ached; she had a mild headache and a burning sensation on her stomach. She lifted her nightshirt, and gently peeled back a large gauze that was covering her wound. It looked raised, and inflamed, it wept a sticky yellow substance she knew was puss, and sighed forlornly.

'That looks _nasty _- infected,' Tasmin said quietly, having opened her eyes to see Bones checking herself over.

'Yes. I believe a course of antibiotics would be prudent,' she said, covering it back up gently. 'I'll ask to speak to the doctor after breakfast.'

Tasmin rolled out of bed, trotting over to the toilet across the cold floor, and had a pee. As she did, she asked, 'Its your friends send off today, isn't it?' Bones rolled back flat to her bed, and nodded, closing her exhausted eyes for a moment. She didn't need reminding of that fact, but she knew Tasmin was just making conversation to cover the sound of her urination. It perplexed Bones that Tasmin could masturbate openly with her in the cell, but became shy while empting her bladder. The two actions just didn't calculate. 'I bet you wish you were going. I mean, you know, to say good bye 'n' that.'

'That goes without saying, Tasmin.' Bones had spent most of the last few nights recalling the personal times she'd spent with Daisy. Not just at work but when they shared a tent and adventures in Maluku; after hours in her home one Christmas, and smiling at her adolescent obsession with Prince Charmington. She was not only a favoured intern, but had showed great potential as a scientist; an amusing young woman cruelly snuffed out in the prime of her life, leaving behind a huge void to fill. She'd wept for Sweets knowing of his deep affection for her too, and as a mother, could only just imagine the agonies of her parents surviving a child's death. Her sympathies ran deep for all those touched by the quirky, fun-loving, intelligent woman with the heart of a child.

Pigeon-toed, and with her panties around her ankles, Tasmin changed the subject, 'Yeah - course. Umm. You were up late; I heard you scribbling in your diary till the early hours.'

'I'm sorry, did I keep you awake?'

'A little, no probs though… I heard _Claudette _is coming back to the block today after being in solitary. You better watch your back,' she reminded, and flushed, then began to rinse her hands in cold water from the faucet. Scrambling back under her covers, Tasmin went on, with an expectant smile, 'Do you think you'll get some more surprise visits today?'

Bones shook her head, staring at the ceiling now, without the energy or inclination to reply. Tasmin deflated: she'd been living vicariously through Bones' visitors and was a sounding board for the events in her life rather than the blank sheet hers was. 'No, I expect they'll all be too busy to visit,' she answered her own question reflectively. 'I bet they'll have a big wake, won't they - food 'n' that?' Tasmin's stomach growled at the prospect of baked hams and cocktail sausages. Bones felt her eyes tear up again, as she thought about everyone consoling Sweets and Daisy's parents, and felt wretched for not being there to pass on her condolences in person. She'd written them both letters but didn't feel, in the tragic circumstances, that was nearly enough. 'Maybe you could call Booth later, you know, just to see how it went - get all the details?'

Bones didn't want to talk, so rolled herself away from Tasmin to face the wall, and stared at her postcard and taped photos of Booth and Christine that were stuck on the wall. There was a silence, finally, for few moments that Bones drifted into and away, while she stared at her pictures. But they didn't ease her chronic ache, just deepened it.

Eventually, after watching her cell mate curl up on her bed, and hold herself tight, Tasmin said softly, compassionately, 'D'ya wanna hug?'

Moved by her thoughtfulness, Bones closed her streaming eyes, then reached blindly behind her, and held her hand out to be taken. Tasmin slipped her hand into hers, and squeezed it with such tenderness Bones couldn't help but grip it tighter to thank her for the sweet gesture. They may have been poles apart in every which way but they understood each other on this fundamental level, and that was some comfort to both of them.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Three Hours Later**

**Pelant's Residence**

Checking his watch, then himself in the full length mirror, Pelant grinned. Making final precise adjustments, he thought he looked appropriately attired, smart and was pleased how handsome he looked with his haircut sharpened only just this morning.

As expected he'd been tailed to the barbers and back: noting his watchers weren't very discreet about it either, which amused but didn't surprise him. One of them had hovered across the street sipping coffee in plain sight while he had the added treat of a cut-throat shave. He presumed that was a deliberate ploy to let him know he was being followed; it hadn't irked him one iota, but rather emboldened and flattered him. He thought of them as his biographers in a way; as one day he was convinced the fascinated masses would want to read all manner of minutia about him. He might even have movies made about his life, he mused.

He was making himself a legend, a criminal mastermind that would never be caught but suspected of much. But he didn't see himself as a mere criminal at all. He was on a mission to expose the hypocrites, wipe out the political and social apathy of the modern generation, while making the world gasp at his supreme intellect and absolute power over technology. He did see himself as revolutionary though; a soothsayer, a portent, the peoples executioner with a mandate to correct and punish the un-punishable or those that stood in his way to achieving that. He knew even when he was long gone his legacy would be written in the annals of planet history by lesser men and ultimately, exalted. He would be the first, and the last, therefore, the greatest.

Rubbing his shined shoe on the back of his opposite calf, he took one last appreciative look at himself, then left his house via the front door.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! **

**Chapel of Rest & Crematoria**

**12.30PM**

For such a vivacious, spontaneous and attractive young woman taken too soon, it wasn't surprising that the chapel was packed with mourners. They lined the pews as well as the walls, in parts three deep to say their last goodbyes. The young; old, friends, family, colleagues, casual acquaintances, old lovers, even neighbours, dry cleaners and a few press all respectfully waited for Daisy's funeral procession to arrive.

Adding to the sombre hum from the mourners was the pitiful weeping from the front row where Daisy's mother was being consoled by her equally harrowed sister. Her father, too distraught himself to comfort either of them, sobbed his grief into his handkerchief.

The organist in the whispering gallery began to play a dirge which quieted down the throng, and the crunching of wheels on gravel and the clip-clop of hoofs signalled her arrival and the end of her last journey.

Four pallbearers carefully took Daisy's marshmallow pink wicker coffin from the white carriage, and settled her atop their shoulders. Sweets, Booth, Jack and her sister's husband bowed their heads as they entered the chapel, and bore her weight. Sweets' chin trembled, and his hand grip the collar of Booth jacket on the other side as if needing his strength to find the courage to do this last act.

The congregation stood.

Ange, Cam and Shaw hung their heads, unable to watch the slow procession to the alter, their veiled eyes trickling saltwater. The weeping, sniffing and distraught moans increased, till they gasped when the sound of a wolf baying at the moon cut through the anvil heavy grief like a scythe. Booth's heart stopped but not his feet: he had a solemn duty to perform and nothing was going to divert him from it. He quickly reached into his pocket, and pushed a key to stop the call without many noticing where it was coming from. But Booth knew Pelant was here _and _watching, or else how would he have timed that cruel interruption so precisely, he deduced.

The sudden edginess from the rest of the congregation in-the-know, rippled though the atmosphere, and they held their breaths, looking around the chapel. The Minister quirked his lips, annoyed by the disrespect of the cell not being turned off prior to the service, and shook his head slightly in disgust.

As they came to the bier, and placed Daisy gently on it, Sweets looked into Booth's eyes directly opposite him, with a question in them. He didn't react or answer, choosing not to think about Pelant's twisted, inflammatory sense of humour at this tragic moment.

Sweets gently placed Daisy's favourite Prince Charmington doll on top of her coffin alongside a vast spray of pink and white roses. Booth stood just a few steps behind to assist him if needed. Sweets whispered, 'Good night my sweet, Guinevere.' Then he stepped away. Sweets took his seat next to Daisy's parents while Booth and Jack sat opposite. As the Minister began the brief service Booth discreetly took out his cell, and removed the SIM card. Jack watched him do it out of the corner of his eye, and nodded slowly to approve, while scanning the order of service.

Ange, on the other hand, was even more proactive. She took from her purse a compact mirror, and under the guise of checking her eyes for running mascara, scanned the congregation with its reflection. It didn't take long for her to spot Pelant just inside the door of the chapel's periphery behind two other mourners. Her outrage grew, although the team half expected him to show his face.

Pelant saw the mirror Ange was using, and smiled directly at it, adding the insult of a wink. Ange grit her jaw, seeing his expression, and snapped the compact shut, tucking it away quickly back in her purse. Cam shot her eyes to her, and crinkled her brow into a question.

'He's here,' Ange breathed. Cam took a deep, slow, chest-filling breath, and let it go just as slowly, nervously wringing the damp Kleenex in her hands. She wondered how his presence would effect Sweets when he saw him, or Booth, and was thankful she knew they weren't armed.

Pelant revelled in being seen, and felt a charge of heat in his groin. So he stepped back out of the chapel unseen and into the sun with his semi-erection plumping his pants. He walked slowly into the garden of rest, where he picked out a suitable beech tree, stiffening rapidly. Standing behind it with his eyes closed, but his mind reliving this triumph, he jerked himself off amid the graves. As he grunted his spurts out over the back of his hand, he heard the tune, Gone Too Soon by Michael Jackson on the warm air, and snorted his amusement in the dappled shade.

Resting his head back to the warm bark, he basked for a few breathless moments. Once recovered sufficiently, he wiped his hand and wilted cock with his pristine handkerchief. After, he strolled around the graves, waiting for the service to end, not needing to hear eulogies from Daisy's nearest and dearest.

Eventually people began to come out of the chapel and into the blinding sunlight. He noted most looked ashen but relieved if was over. Many moved on to their vehicles after saying their soggy farewells, leaving the family on the steps of the chapel. The Jeffersonian staff and a few FBI colleagues, Flynn included, lingered to pay their respects to Daisy's family personally, then went too. Booth and Sweets were the last to leave the chapel along with Jack, Ange, Shaw and Cam.

Pelant straighten his jacket and tie, and made his way over to do the same. They didn't see him near.

As Booth came out Mrs Wick said, 'Daisy would've loved that. You said some _lovely _things, Lance. Thank you so much.' A hand was thrust towards Mrs Wick between the gathered friends, and they all stepped back. But when they saw who it was barging in their blood ran cold, and their tension mounted.

'Mr and Mrs Wick, I'm so sorry for your loss. This was an _avoidable_, ghastly tragedy,' Pelant simpered, flicking his eyes to Booth. 'Daisy was a wonderful person - so flamboyant and _sweet_…' Pelant shook both of their hands, almost insisting on the shake. Mr Wick felt a sticky sensation in his palm when he let go, and surreptitiously wiped his hand on his suit pants. Mrs Wick smiled pleasantly, accepting his condolences, unaware of who this man was or that Booth was seething, and watching Sweets like a hawk. He was clearly agitated, and shooting fire and murder from his eyes. Booth put his hand on his forearm to hold him in place. 'Oh, and, Agent Shaw, how's your son, Danny, isn't it?' Shaw drilled holes in his head with her stare but refused to engage in a reply.

'That's enough, _Pelant_. You've had your fun, now _fuck _off,' Jack sneered, stepping between Pelant and the rest. Mr and Mrs Wick gasped at his audacity, then looked horrified that this was the man that was believed to have murdered their beloved daughter. Seeing their distress Ange and Cam grabbed them, and scuttled them away to their blacked-out hearse. Booth shouldered up with Jack, and faced Pelant down. He wasn't intimidated in the slightest.

'I just wanted to pay my respects,' Pelant fawned, standing his ground and staying cool.

'Yeah, well, you have. Now you can _GO_,' Sweets spat, taking a step towards him menacingly. Booth restrained him from getting any closer.

Pelant didn't stop, not now he had the bit between his teeth, and went in for the kill, goading Booth this time with, 'I will-I will. But it would be remiss of me if I didn't asked after Doctor Brennan - how is she coping in prison, Seeley?'

Booth, Sweets, Jack and Shaw all exchanged icy glances, then to Pelant's surprise they all turned tail, and walked away without another word. Once they were out of ear-shot, Booth whispered, 'Nicely done,' praising their coolness under extreme emotional pressure, adding, 'We've got things to discuss. I've been contacted…' The chorus of nods confirmed where they were headed after Daisy's wake.

Pelant watched them all get in their cars and drive off without giving him a second glance. He felt a little deflated for that, but then again, he mused, he'd had a pleasant day out so far.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Simultaneously**

**Correctional Facility and Remand Centre**

Bones bounced back into her cell, and immediately smiled at Tasmin as bold as brass, with her hands behind her back. Tasmin sat up sharply, and asked, noting her cellmate looked much happier than she did this morning, 'Everything ok?'

'_Yes_. The doctor gave me a seven day course of penicillin and I've got some mail; a visitor slip for tomorrow and -,' she paused to heighten Tasmin's building excitement, 'another _postcard_.' She gently flapped the precious card at her friend, who immediately leapt to joined her on her bed to look at it. They sat side by side, and stared at it.

'Oh. _Wow_ - gorgeous. Where's it from _this _time?' she asked excitedly. Bones, with a solid grin, proudly showed her the picture of another beach scene, this time a russet sunset. Again there was nothing written on it except her address and a postmark from Harlem, New York. 'Ooooh, maaan, An - Anti…' unable to pronounce it or read it properly, Tasmin trailed off, blushing slightly. Bones helped her out without ridicule or superiority, knowing Tasmin's hadn't been educated much beyond the seventh grade.

'Its from _Antigua_. Its in the archipelago of the Caribbean islands, known as the West Indies. Antigua is Spanish for _ancient _and its provinces are named after saints. Christopher Columbus, the explorer, named it so. But its original name was Wadadli. Ciboney Indians inhabited the island first but then mysteriously disappeared leaving just traces of their culture behind and no record of why they left. Then came the Arawak Indians who paddled in canoes from Venezuela to inhabit the island. They cultivated it and the black pineapple which are still famous on the island today. _After _them came the Caribs'; they enslaved and _cannibalised_ most of the remaining Arawak's,' she educated, flaring her eyes on the scary aspects of the ancient history which Tasmin lapped up.

'_Coool_, you know sooo much about _everything_, your brain must be burstin'!' Tasmin flattered unknowingly, gently shoulder-bumping her. Bones laughed, delighted to have received another postcard, and not only that, but her first letter from Booth, which she was itching to read. 'What's that?' Tasmin pointed to the plump letter in her hand under the postcard. She saw Bones surprisingly, blush. 'Arrrh -,' Tasmin cooed knowingly, 'its from your man, right?' Bones grinned sweetly, staring at the comforting, familiar handwriting. 'I'll piss off then…' Tasmin was up and out, leaving her to savour her letter in relative privacy.

Once alone Bones stuck up her new postcard next to the other with a smile lighting the shadows under her eyes, then sat crossed legged on the bed. She carefully opened his letter with an erotic sense of anticipation building in her stomach. She took a deep breath, and unfolded the pages. As she did a photograph slipped out of the pages onto the covers, surprising her. Putting aside the letter for a moment, she looked at the image he'd sent her. Her smile grew as did the flush to her cheeks. It amazed her how he knew she might need another shot of him as the first had been ruined, but she was deeply grateful for his uncanny insight. This one was much more spicy than the last and not for sticking up but to be kept for her own viewing pleasure. He'd obviously taken it himself on timer from the dresser, which, for some unfathomable reason, made her chuckle. The thought crossed her mind how long it must have taken him to get it just right. He was pictured heavenly naked on top of the sheets, erotically mid-bed. All his physique was taut which she recognised as the signs of a fully primed, sexually excited Seeley Booth, and subconsciously licked her lips With his recent weight loss, his abs were so sharply defined she could almost run her index finger over the shot and feel them. She did, just to check. One hand was behind his head which flexed his bicep and pectorals majestically. The other hand was clearly holding his erection just out of shot, but his pubic extension was tantalizingly just visible. Most revealing of all and confirming it, was his expression and deep in his, _come get me, _eyes. It was stimulating mind candy and she was already salivating and hungry. Bones returned to his letter, holding the picture under her thumb on top of the pages as she read…

"_God, I'm crap at this kinda thing, Bones. Stop laughing! I just got this crazy impulse to send you porn._" Bones laughed out loud, shaking her head at his cute humour, knowing he was referring to the photo. It was nothing close to porn in the true sense but it was as close as he could get without being sordid. "_I got out of the shower and walked into the bedroom tonight. You know how our bed dominates the bedroom? Well, it was big and empty which made me so sad - but BOOM! From out of nowhere, I got some amazing flashbacks to when it wasn't empty and we used every bit of its soft space making love on it. Woo-hoo-boy! So I did this insane thing as those memories were still rampaging through my head and __**head**__. *smutty smile* Hope you like it, Dimples. *wink* You said something the other day, which if I'm honest, did hit a nerve. You said I have a high sex drive and I hadn't thought about that until you said it. But you got it wrong Bones, or at least, the wrong way round. I've only got a high sex drive since we've been together… Truth. You know why, don't cha? Yeah, cos you're the sexiest woman walking this planet - probably the whole universe! And cos I'll love you till this universe is stardust again. That's another truth/pledge._"

'Aaaw. Booth, that's so, so...' Bones didn't notice her charmed smile drifting off her lips, to be replaced with arousal in her eyes as she read on...

"_I mean, your skin feels like cashmere against mine I can't help myself - I have to stroke it whenever I can. It's compulsory and would be a felony if I didn't. Your breasts are like two wondrous down pillows which come to life at my touch - have you noticed that?_" Bones nodded, answering him silently. "_They're so soft and uber generous and fill my worshiping hands and some. Their crowning glories, your sensitive coral nipples are the perfect shape and size for me to suck into my hungry mouth. Which reminds me, I get so hard just hearing you sigh and breathe my name when we start fooling around. I know when you want me cos your electric blue eyes get so dark and sparkle with shards of silver which reflect our passion and heat. Your hips twitch and roll, your arch your back, and your silky hand goes straight for my cock, which is a REAL give away._" Bones sniggered at yet another truth which he'd obviously picked up on.

"_I have to slow you down sometimes, don't I? You're so spirited; like an untamed mustang with your mane flowing behind ya when we get to it. You give me all of you but - you want it all so fast. I want to adore you Bones, that's why I take my time: why I linger over your breasts, why I feast on your juicy pussy just to make you crazy, why I watch your body writhe to my caresses - you transfix me. Don't you see, you're my private obsession and my indulgence? Then, when, we can't stand it any longer I slip inside you - and home…_" Bones paused to close her eyes, and imagined again that sublime moment he was reminding her of. In the agonising weeks they'd spent apart and everything that had tormented them this brief respite was not only welcome, it was essential for her sanity. It was true what he said about her but what he didn't fully appreciate, she realised, he was her obsession too and sometimes she didn't have the restraint like he did. His ripped body, delicate touch, sumptuous kisses, unreserved adoration and manhood hot and rigid against her flesh released her animal side. At those times _control _was just a noun not a conscious action she cared to execute.

She read on, "_Ooh Bones, Temperance, my love, my life, exquisiteness burns my cock as I go in; my flesh hardens as yours yields to mine then clutches me tight, and from your throat the deepest, earnest whimper exalts and humbles me. Then, when, we start to move together, kiss and pleasure with hands we reach that place - __**that **__place together: we're driven mad with erotic sensations. All is it hot, slick, thirsty and deep - always so deep.' _A croon of arousal rumbled up from her throat, and she twitched on her buttocks, flashing her eyes to his erotic image. _"This screwed-up world vanishes, our hearts pound so hard they almost give out. Oh Bones, we centre on each other, nothing else fucking matters but us, __**nothing**__. Remember, we can't get close enough? But we do, we make it, surrender ourselves to it - then we hold on tight for the dizzying, amazing, breathless fall - and dissolve into each other." _Bones nodded, blowing out a steamy breath, reading on, savouring every syllable, and visualizing every delicious memory. _"Those fiery, slippery places which give so much bliss overwhelm us, we consume each other in the flames of our shared passion and unquenchable love. We breach in ecstasy, we cry out, we still, relax, breathe again and finally smile with what we know… Phew - was that good for you? *boyish cheeky smile* Then you go make tea, I fart, roll over and fall asleep. You come back to bed - I'm snoring, you kick me and give me the cold shoulder treatment. That's how it goes, isn't it?" _Bones snorted her amusement, then took a deep breath. _"Seriously though my luscious partner in life and love when making love feels like that for us is it any wonder we both have rampant libidos_?"

'No, it isn't,' she whispered, delicately stroking his image.

"_One day soon, very soon, you'll be home and beside me again - so will the precious wonder we created from our love and we'll be a family again. Truth. The world can fuck off and leave us alone, right - right?"_

With an assured smile, she confirmed, '_Right_.' Just as she was about to read the last paragraph the alarms in the block sounded, and she heard screams and shouts from outside in the corridor. Bones leapt off her bed, shoving her letter and photo under her mattress. She ran into the corridor, mortified at seeing Tasmin flat out on the floor, gripping her stomach, oozing life. Claudette was sneering at her, restrained by two burly guards, one holding the dripping weapon that Claudette had used on her. Horrified, Bones ran to Tasmin, staring into her glazing eyes. 'Hold on, Tasmin, help is coming.' Tasmin started to tremble as Bones lifted her hand away from her stomach, to check the bloody wound. She couldn't hide her grimace at the ripped gash that had exposed her intestines. Bones pushed hard on the wound, and felt her eyes burn with sorrow and equal anger.

'She HIV positive,' a guard warned Bones nonchalantly, as they dragged Claudette down the corridor. Bones continued to staunch the flow. Claudette spat on Bones and Tasmin as she passed them, then laughed manically.

'Don't, don't touch me, Tempe, you'll get it,' Tasmin whispered her shame weakly, and tried to smiled, still trembling her agony. Bones saw tears ripple out of her eyes, and down her temples. 'W-was it a gga good letter?'

Bones' tears fell over her friends failing heart as she nodded, 'Yes, Tasmin. I'll read it to you later if you want.' Tasmin grinned, almost, and placed her bloody trembling hand on Bones', trying to push her off. Bones refused to obey, seeing her eyes start to glaze. 'Its ok, don't worry for me, Tasmin - just hang on, _promise _me you'll…Tasmin? _Tasmin? _Get the _fucking _medics in here NOW…!'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**A/N: **Arrrh! Why, oh why did Claudette stab poor Tasmin? Will she live? Will Bones get infected with HIV? Bye, bye Daisy - RIP. Who the hell is Daniel & what did he give Booth, I wonder? Can you be bothered to find out or can I be bothered to write the next chapter? These and other questions will be answered, possibly, in the next instalments of **Pelant**. Hugs, as always, Lebxeb. XX


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: **All characters portrayed here are fictional. No infringement of rights intended. Bones & its characters are a product of Fox Inc. & not mine. No financial gain is received from this work of fiction.

**Summary: **Pelant is free, Bones isn't, but for how long? Remember: "Nothing is what it seems…" - Seeley Booth.

**Rating: M **

**Thanks: **to those who I can't respond to via PM **: CP: **N'aaw**. **Thx you! XX. **Guest (7/1/12): **More is here! Thx SVM 4 stopping by. Thrilled U R enjoying the ride. XX. **Guest **(6/31/12**): **Thx 4 UR encouragements & suggestions - duly noted. I love Shaw too! XX. **Jsboneslover: **Great 2 C UR keeping the faith: such will B rewarded. Thx 4 the fab review 2! *Massive hugs* XX.

Dim the lights, don your specs, pour the wine & pay attention. Are you sitting comfortably? Then I shall begin…

**Pelant **

**Chapter IX**

**Hodgins' Family Estate**

**Bunker Rooms**

**Six Hours After Daisy's Funeral Service**

**Evening**

'Think of it as a four-tired underground cone or rounded pyramid,' Jack explained casually, animating the shape with his hands. 'At the top of the cone is an elevator which brings us down three floors directly into the lounge which is the core of the bunker, and main living area. These spiral corridors circle the core and lead to the central living spaces and bedroom suites.'

'Its _incredible_, Jack,' Shaw awed, keeping pace with him as they headed down and around the gently slopping, tastefully decorated, corridor. 'It must have taken years to construct. How is it powered?'

'Several ways actually. It can utilize electric generators, diesel generators, solar power panels for back up but its primary power source is a small plutonium reactor.' Shaw gawped at him, coming to a stand still. He grinned, stalling too. 'Its _perfectly _safe, Genny,' he reassured, then moved on with, 'It was designed to be completely self-contained and independently powered: to allow the survival of ten people for up to fifteen years. There's a sensor in the elevator that warns if a person or the air is contaminated. In that case the elevator will stop at the first subterranean floor where there's a decontamination suite, as well as a fully equipped surgical unit and infirmary. Each level is shut off from the last by blast doors. Ventilation filters, water storage and recycling units and waste disposal are in the basement where the reactor is. On the second floor is where we have an artificially lit greenhouse for a limited supply of fresh fruit and vegetables and dry foods and goods storage. We have a gym, my lab; with a few _creatures _in situ _-_,' he grinned, then concluded, 'then Ange has her own study cum studio. That was a new addition gift for our first wedding anniversary.'

'Wow, awesome,' she purred, then offered, 'I _love _the windows that show the estate outside - that's a stoke of genius. I'd go crazy living down here without them for one month let alone _fifteen _years!'

'Yeah. I can change the views from them too. When we get time, I'll show you the _fun _rooms,' he tantalized with his infectious smile and flaring eyes. He pulled open a mahogany panelled door, and waved her through it. 'Make yourself at home,' he encouraged.

Genny walked into a large stately dinning room, still blown away by all she was seeing. Already sat around the French polished cherry table were, Booth, Cam and Caroline, who were deep in conversation. Ange appeared through another door on the far side of the room, with a pile of files in her arms, balancing a laptop on them. They all looked up, and smiled warmly at Genny. She saw a crystal chandelier hung directly above the twelve place antique table, and at the far end of the room were huge patio doors which they could see the magnificent sunset through.

Jack broke the ice with a casual, 'We're back. Anybody wanna drink?' he asked, making straight for the matching antique sideboard.

'I'll take a _large _glass of anything white!' barked Caroline, as Ange deposited the files on the table, and booted up her laptop, then muttered under her breath, 'I was startin' to think this was a _dry _bunker,' balancing her reading specs on her nose. Ange shot her a wry smile. Other orders were placed with Jack via nods, and promptly delivered from the well-stocked wine cooler. 'I thought Sweets was coming to this covert _soiree_?'

Cam answered her, 'He's staying with Daisy's parents for a while longer,' she informed, then chugged down her cool glass of Chablis, clearly needing its numbing effects after today's events. She refilled it quickly from the bottle, ignoring the raised eyebrow from Jack, as he took a seat beside, a slightly overwhelmed, Shaw.

'Right -,' Cam began, getting their attention, and on with the business at hand, 'All our scientific findings we've triplicated, the Lab and FBI Task Force have all this information via our computer file sharing system. _But _these hard copies are for us alone.' Ange passed out the files, one for each person, then took a seat next to Caroline. A spare remained, which was for the absent Sweets. Cam folded her hands over her file, saying, 'This is a unique case and situation.' Caroline snorted at the obviousness of that statement. 'Pelant is being investigated on _two _levels. One: openly and in the normal way above ground. Then there's us…We've been officially sanctioned to covertly gather evidence, debate our next moves but keeping our investigations among us until we have enough for an arrest. Agent Flynn, who has been given every resource to investigate Pelant, is heading the FBI Task Force. Genny has agreed and been sanctioned to be the FBI's undercover liaison between us and them. She will pass on information and ideas to Flynn. I've been appointed to head this covert team. We're here to brainstorm our next moves and bring everyone up to date with what we know for sure. I intend to hold a meeting here once a week or more regularly if required.'

Most opened their files, and began to flick through what had been discovered already. Then Cam added cryptically, 'Again, with sanction from the FBI's higher echelons and persecutors office, some details have been omitted from the computer files for _obvious _reasons, but everything is in _these _files.' Everybody understood the need for the top security.

'Before we get into the science -,' Booth interrupted, everyone looked to him as he went on, 'I was contacted this morning…' Reaching into his pants pocket, he pulled out a white envelope, then what was inside it. 'There was a message with this - the guy said to me, "simplify your life and you will prevail."…' Ange looked at the compliment slip he produced and the little pencil sketch drawn on it that looked remarkably like baby Christine. She gasped, snapping her eyes to Booth's. He nodded slowly to acknowledge what he saw in her eyes. 'Yeah, its from Max -,' he confirmed, 'but look at the watermark on the paper…' She did as instructed, then gasped again, which heightened everybody's alertness.

'Oh. Jesus! The _Oceanus _- didn't that just…?' Jack took it from her hand, and stared at it, then passed it on around the table.

'Yeah, _crashed _in the Suez Canal. Pelant obviously found them,' Booth said gravely, then added quickly to settle their agitated expressions, 'I checked all the news channels _and _with PMO - everybody got off ok.' He saw everybody relax just a fraction but they were visibly shaken by the revelation. Nobody asked after Christine or her whereabouts now, noting Booth was sinew-taut and pumped below his white dress shirt. His apparent calm veneer was very transparent though.

'But still, Cher, how could he pull that off?' Caroline looked bemused, and around the table for an answer.

'Computers,' Booth said simply, stripping off his black tie, and undoing his collar button. 'Max said he owed the system - this proves it. They reckon it was computer glitch: a GPS cock-up or something,' Booth informed, getting back the slip as it was passed around the table. He safely tucked it away again in the envelope and then into his own file.

'Makes sense,' Ange said. 'So this contact, Booth - what else did he say?'

'Nothing much, except to remember his name.'

'Which is?' Cam asked.

'Daniel - like in the Bible. And he was _very _specific that I should remember that.' Jack narrowed his eyes with a thought, then immediately started scribbling on a note pad everyone had in front of them.

As Jack worked away, he asked, 'We need to trace this guy then.'

'_No_,' Booth checked him sternly. 'If he's connected with Max somehow I don't want _official _channels knowing that or tracing him - it could put him and Max in Pelant's crosshairs again.' Booth stood abruptly, and started to pace around the table, as he said, 'Daniel said I should _simplify _my life. I thought at first he was kook but after today at the chapel and the _call_ - I got what he meant.' Booth stared out at the sunset with his back to them, adding, 'I've changed the ring tone several times, even called my provider to complain, but I couldn't stop it from using that _fucking _wolf howl.' Bristling with tension, he spun back around, and came to a halt behind Genny, and continued, 'So…from now on, we don't use cells or computers to email one another. We go back to doing our thing the old fashion way; pen and paper, using our heads to store information - exchange it face to face when we can. Pelant can only guess at what we know if we do that.'

Seeing everyone nod, agreeing with his logic, Cam said, 'Agreed.' Booth slung his cell phone in the middle of the table with the battery disconnected and the SIM. They realised it was a challenge for them to do the same.

Caroline balked at the suggestion though, 'Whoa, Big Guy, how'm I gonna remember all my contacts? My memory ain't what it was, Cher!'

Ange patted Caroline's shoulder with sympathy. 'Write 'em down, and don't _lose _the list,' she said with a wry smile, pushing the pad and pen towards her hand. Caroline rolled her eyes, and began writing out her list. Everyone's cell eventually joined Booth's in the middle of the table. More wine was opened by Ange as she went on, 'In fact, Cam and I had already thought of this, Booth. We can use public pay phones or other peoples cells to communicate.' Retaking his seat beside Genny, Booth looked very impressed when Ange started handing out untraceable pre-paid telephone cards. 'If you need more, pay with cash only, _not _credit cards - the purchase can be traced.' Everyone agreed with that assumption with a nod, then tucked them away safely, along with their contact lists.

Cam moved them on swiftly, 'Ok, we have a lot to get through…' Everybody straightened to listen. 'As we expected, Pelant showed his face today, and we were well prepared,' she reminded, pouring herself another glass of wine, her third. This time Caroline cocked a brow, flicking her eyes to Ange. Surreptitiously Ange shook her head to say nothing, knowing the strain was starting to tell on her colleague, and was turning a blind eye to her ever increasing alcohol consumption. Caroline quirked her lips, then casually sipped from her own glass. Cam didn't catch their exchange. 'He was followed by the FBI surveillance team and they recorded his movements. Flynn heard via his ear piece what Pelant was doing outside while we were at the service, and by a stoke of - _luck_, excuse the pun, we now have a _semen _sample from Mr Wick's hand and dress pants.' There were murmurs of revulsion from around the table.

'Diss-gusting - how _sick _is that?' Caroline grumbled, visibly shivering at the thought, then praised, 'But that was quick thinking, Chick-a-dees: whisking them off like that!'

'Absolutely repulsive, yes,' Ange sneered, still with murder in mind. '_And _we have two hairs from his leg. They were caught in the ankle tag that they got off him.' Booth raised a brow, not knowing that. 'This isn't going to go down well but, can't we plant them somewhere to convince a judge that Pelant was involved in Sawyer's murder, and not Bren?' Shaw twitched uncomfortably at the illegal suggestion, but began to brainstorm with other ideas.

'Aaange,' Jack warned sympathetically, finally looking up from his manic scribbling.

'What!' she snapped. 'You're all thinking the same thing but not saying it!' she defended her scheme. 'He _planted _Sawyer's hair in Bren's Prius, for Christ's sake! Lets play his game for a change. Put those hairs in Sawyer's room - that'll prove he was in _there_.' Shaw was about to offer up a thought to be considered but decided just to listen for now, instead, making a note of it on her pad.

'No -,' Booth chipped in calmly, 'as much as we would like to - we can't, Ange. Things aren't that bad yet.' They all looked at him as if he was insane or delusional. This was their darkest hour and yet he appeared unruffled and surprisingly solid on that point. He noted their scepticism and incredulity though, and answered it, 'Look - I want Bones out of there and home more than any of you. But I want her out and _cleared _so there's _no _chance she'll be taken back in again. Cos I know if that happens - she wouldn't survive…'

There was a snap of reflective silence after his statement, then Ange deflated, and conceded, 'Yep, you're right - he's right. Ignore me. I'm just having a serial killer moment.' She wafted away their stunned expressions with her slim hand, then sipped her wine. Jack pecked her cheek sweetly, making her grin again.

'What's going on with these macro _chips _then?' Caroline asked, scanning the relevant pages in her thick file. Shaw turned her pages to that section of the file too, but absently wrote notes down in short hand on her pad.

Jack piped up, 'We got lucky. Bren's chip was intact, well, it was before me and Ange got to it. On the base-board was a partial number signature, this was a part Pelant couldn't manufacture himself. Its design is a prototype and its originally from a single factory in China which produces chips for implantation into the body for prosthetic limbs. You'll see, from the science literature on them, that it can receive electrical signals via neurons and creates a bridge; a link between the brain, limb stub and directs the signal to the prosthetic limb to move. Bren's chip was altered to just _send _a signal - not receive one. He needed something so small it could be injected and this suited his purpose. My guess - it alerts cameras to track the signal when the chip signal comes within twenty to fifty feet of it. The software was already up loaded. When the signal was received and recognised, the dormant malware came to life.'

Shaw snagged her head back, halted her note taking, and asked, 'Wait, hang on - you're saying Doctor Brennan could move past _any _CCTV camera and it would automatically follow her and record?'

'Yes, that's exactly what I'm saying. All it did was emit a signal though, we tested it. The thing died on us yesterday and probably only had a life span of around three to four months. Therefore, Pelant knew where she was at any given time. A computer program to hack security footage could switched from one camera to the next and plot her movements on a map or grid reference; Sawyer's room, the Jeffersonian labs, car parks, stores, _anywhere _there's a surveillance camera. It would give him times, images of what she was doing and when, who she interacted with, and hours of VT to manipulate… Pelant would've known, via the bugs that he planted in Booth's home, that she hadn't told Booth she was visiting Sawyer. Cameras tracked her there on several occasions and back home on the nights she secretly went to talk to him. Not only that, the psych consultations that were videoed of Sawyer ranting about an evil child needing to be destroyed, he'd clearly hacked into them too and saw his opportunity to frame her for Sawyers murder because he knew Sawyer could expose him.' Ange nodded, agreeing with every word.

Looking utterly perplexed, Caroline asked, 'But how can he do _that _- that just blows my mind?'

Ange explained, 'We do know for sure how he's uploading this malware, Caroline. He writes the code and inserts it into the chipped books and movies he orders in. When they're returned, the items are scanned, that sends the malware into cyberspace. But he's so clever its just _fragments_, single lines of code at a time. That's why he needed so many books and DVD's. Once uploaded they all link together somehow, they find each other in ether. They must all carry a marker, attract to each other and _stick _together. Like strands of DNA, the code builds then forms the full program. Its brilliant, conceptual, but _not _untraceable. How these fragments of code gather together will unlock the program itself and that's what I'm still working on…'

Shaw lost the last of her residual shyness, and ventured, 'He must have ordered the chips either online or got someone to buy them for him or _steal _them. Which begs the question, how could he - without computers to get online?'

Ange answered, 'I've been thinking about that, Genny. He must have made a computer for himself; bastardised old tech; TV's, radios, cells, electronic toy cars, even toasters, digital alarm clocks or microwaves. Booth told me his place is full of stuff like that.' Booth nodded to confirm, taking a swig of cool wine. 'Writing his own operating system and programs wouldn't pose a problem. With his IQ I expect it was easy for him - even fun.'

'Yeah, but we also know he's been getting out and about unseen. He'll need a vehicle for that: public transport would be too risky - he'd be recognised by this neighbours. He may have post box address or a lock up where things can be delivered. He has to fund all this too,' Booth theorised.

Ange threw her theories into the mix, 'I suspect he must have a permanent connection to the web at his home though, especially as he slipped up when the storm hit the city the day of the explosion. Those lost eight minutes proved it for me. He needs space to work too - somewhere quiet.'

'Yes, a bunker like this one - well, maybe not _exactly _like this one…' Caroline said coyly, with her tongue firmly in her cheek, looking around their opulent surrounding. Her gentle sarcasm was lost on the brainstorming team though.

'Exactly. I think he must be piggy-backing his data on someone else's connection - a neighbours, perhaps.' They all nodded to agree with Ange.

Caroline interrupted now, 'Look, this is all very _squinty _and gets the juices flowing but how does that chip get us closer to nailing this slippery pervert?'

'Good question,' Ange said. 'I'm going to buy a couple of those chips if I can and prove that they can be altered like he used them. The factory is funded solely by the manufacture of these advanced prosthetic limbs though. They've refused my requests for a sample chip but I have connections. Hopefully, if my plan works, I'll be able to reverse the trail back to him in the US.'

Still on the last thought, Shaw interrupted, 'His street uses fibre optic cable for TV, phone and obviously the internet, right? Could he tap into a neighbours _cable _somehow - use their access without them knowing?'

'Yes - definitely! That's what I've suspected all along. He'll need a _physical _connection though: he couldn't risk us picking up on a wireless signal,' Ange confirmed, seeing Shaw nodding to agree too.

Shaw jotted down notes on her pad again. 'I'll pay a visit to the cable company that laid the lines, see if it needs an over haul - insist on one if need be,' Shaw said with a wry smile. 'I've got some other leads to follow up on tomorrow when I get back to the office.' Booth grinned hard at her, cheered by her thought processes as they mirrored his. But he felt completely redundant; unable to do anything to assist the investigation in real terms. 'He has to fund all this somehow - my instinct is that he's hacking into bank accounts and diverting funds to ghost accounts and lead names. The Bureau is very sympathetic, certain members in particular,' Shaw explained cryptically. They all knew she was implying that the Assistant Directors where pressuring them to make swift progress in the case, and bending a few rules was now acceptable policy. 'He's still ordering books, DVDs and anything that is hire-able and chipped. And although the FBI has dropped the case against him on our recommendation, they've got a judge to sign a warrant to intercept the books etc when they're returned. The tech guys are gathering evidence and searching these items for tampering with his code.'

'Excellent,' Cam said, then enquired, 'Is that in the official records?'

'No, not anywhere Pelant can see it anyway.'

Booth addressed Shaw directly, saying ardently, 'You _need _to go deeper into his background, Genny: rake over _everything _this time; his career, schooling, teachers lecturers, family, grandparents, girlfriends, financial records, voting preferences, any vehicles he's bought or sold on and to whom. We need to get his motive and into his brain. I wanna know when he breaks wind or pisses. But this all needs to be done on _foot_, and quietly - do ya'know what I'm saying, Genny?' He pierced her eyes with his, hoping she understood. She nodded solidly, knowing exactly what that was going to entail.

'What else? Oh. Yeah,' Cam sighed, peering over the rim of her half empty glass at her lips, to read her notes. 'After our initial sweep of your home, Seeley, we went in again and found, as you know, three more bugs we missed the first time. These are standard surveillance equipment anybody can purchase.'

Shaw clarified, 'Flynn's having the various batch numbers traced but so far its showing they were bought online in eastern Europe from false accounts, whose names were all dead ends - _literally _dead ends. Each purchaser was found to be deceased for at least ten years. Quite how the bugs got here is another question. They certainly weren't shipped into the US by the normal routes. Interpol are _discreetly _looking into it for us.'

Noting Booth's twitching and frustrated expression, Cam boosted, 'The FBI forensic labs and our own are at full tilt combing over what's left of Pelant's bomb too. Unfortunately there was very little left - ashes mainly.' All eyes suddenly were cast downwards to their files and the up-beat mood changed palpably. Cam quickly changed the subject: it was obviously too soon to go into detail, she thought, 'You haven't told us what happened this morning at your interview, Booth.'

Sitting back, he shrugged his shoulders, saying, 'Well, they didn't arrest me. Flynn went through the motions and released me on my own recognisance. I explained about the call just before the explosion and what Pelant said. There wasn't a trace of it on my cell or with my contract providers - nothing, as I expected. I told him it was my Christmas wrap. I'd left the roll in my cupboard under the stairs. My lawyer told Flynn about the bugs found in my house which was confirmed by the FBI crime scene team yesterday and by the Jeffersonian. Our house was broken into and bugged, so he doesn't think anything will come of it, or at least, we can argue the case strongly in my favour.'

'Don't worry, Booth, nothing will come of it. There's more people on your side than you realise,' Shaw said softly, looking up into his eyes with a warm smile.

'Yeah but what about your fingerprint on the _doorbell _though?' Caroline enquired.

Shaw chipped in again, twitching in her seat slightly, as she said, 'I err I invited Booth over for dinner the night before...' Ange and Cam snapped their eyes to Booth. He could see by their body language what they were thinking. He wasn't insulted by the silent insinuation but touched that they were so protective of Bones and their relationship. It actually amused him a little that they thought he might seek comfort in Genny's company. That was one thing he didn't feel guilty about because he only had eyes for one woman and his heart had her name inscribed all over it.

Caroline, in turn though, cocked a brow, asking boldly, 'Is that true, Cher?' curious to know if that was indeed what happened and wasn't just to give Booth an alibi.

Shaw nodded quickly, adding affronted, 'Of _course _it's true! Booth came over at eight. We had a chicken BBQ with my Mom and Danny. He left just after eleven. Flynn interviewed my Mom and confirmed his visit.'

'You're not on trial, Genny,' Booth interceded compassionately. 'It was a sweet thing to do for me. I really enjoyed being with your family. It took my mind off things and your Mom fed me _real _good.' Booth beamed at Genny, then peered at Cam and Ange to back off, which they promptly did. Booth went on with something that had been eating away at him for a few days now, 'Bones was involved in a fight in prison. I'm scared for her, Guys. She's playing it down with me but I know she worried sick. I want her out of there as _soon _as possible. We all know what can happen to inmates that have connections to law enforcement.' His concerned friends all nodded with sympathy. Cam and Ange exchanged secret glances, not letting on what they knew or suspected or what they were going to do about it.

'We're trying, Booth,' Ange bolstered. 'We've made _some _progress on Sawyer's saliva triangle. Bren suggested to me that it was computer code of his own making but we need the cipher. We're assuming the Pope quote he wrote in the book has a clue to it but…'

'Booth -?' Jack interrupted, finally looking up from his messy scribbles, 'I've cracked it.'

'Cracked what - wind?'

Everybody sniggered but shut right up when Jack said, 'Max's _code_.' Booth hadn't thought it could be a code, so was instantly tense again. 'He made a point of telling you to remember his name, right?' Booth nodded, everyone's widening eyes tracked to Jack. 'Look - Danielsaid keep it simple - _simplify_. What's the easiest code you know to send a message?'

'Don't make me work at it, Jack, just tell me,' Booth droned, sounding exasperated by the delay.

'Ok. It's _so _obvious,' Jack beamed at its simplicity, showing everyone what he'd come up with. They peered over the table to his confused scribbling and crossing out. They could see a range of digits, words, symbols and calculations all crossed out except one.

'D. A. N. I. E. L.' Jack pointed to each letter as he said them. 'Six letters, each one corresponding to a number in the alphabet. A, for example, equals one, D equals 4 and so on. Daniel gives us: 4 -1 - 14 - 9 -5 and 12. At first I thought they were co-ordinates or GPS markers, longitude and lat. I've been all _over _the place - but _look _at the _simplest _sequence -,' he insisted passionately, prodding the page, 'what stands out?'

'Nothing… Oh. Wait, except maybe the last three, they could be a date: September fifth of the 12 year possibly,' Booth suggested, not convinced but Jack was emboldened, and the air fizzed around him.

'Yeah, that's _exactly _what I think it is. But why would he give us a date - the fifth of September this year…? Do the other numbers mean anything to you - cos they mean _nothing _to me?'

Booth stared at the numbers, while they all stared at him as his mind cogs clicked into gear. They all waited silently.

Daniel; church, faith, God is coming - look busy, Hells Angel, Harley, Pelant, four, one, fourteen, all those words, numbers, images, metaphors and there significance churned over in his mind. It took a few more moments for Booth to get the connection. Finally he looked up around the table, then asked, 'Do you have a Bible, Ange?' There was a jolt of subdued excitement that infused the air with his question.

Before she could answer, Jack shot back, 'You bet.' He got to his feet, and trotted through a door on the opposite side of room. Booth slowly rubbed the nape of his neck with his palm, clearly still wracking his brain to recall his catechism classes correctly.

'A _religious _message - and from _Max_? Have we just fallen down the rabbit hole?' Caroline questioned dubiously.

'It wasn't a message for us _heathens_, its for Booth - Max knew he'd get it,' Ange explained, proud that Booth had understood that.

'What is it, Seeley?' Cam asked, holding her empty glass a little tighter, feeling the tension in the air thicken, and seeing the revelation sparkle in his eyes.

'I just have to check something,' he muttered coyly, standing as Jack trotted back with a large leather-bound Bible in hand, and slapped it on the table in front of him. Booth immediately said, as he flicked through the pages to find the appropriate passages, 'Daniel's faith in God protected him from the lions in the den, you _must _have heard the story?' They all shook their heads, but some saw the parallel with Booth that Max was clearly drawing.

Booth enlightening them, 'Daniel interpreted the dreams of King Nebuchadnezzar who was all powerful, arrogant and ruled the mighty kingdom of Babylon. Daniel survived death threats, mortal trials, court intrigue and was finally elevated to a high position foretelling Nebuchadnezzar death. He had revelations given to him by God too in vision and dreams.'

Finding the relevant page, Booth skimmed the passage, nodding as he did: which confirmed his recall. 'In book _4 _of Daniel, paragraphs _1_ to14.' They were all intrigued now, noting the numbers corresponded to Max's message. 'Daniel interprets King Nebuchadnezzar dream. In this dream he sees a huge tree, "fertile and strong" that grows so big that it "fills the sky" and "reached the heavens", and everybody and thing "lived in its shadow."

'Huh! That's us living in Pelant's shadow - and Neber, Nebbi - the king is Pelant,' Cam slurred the metaphor, pouring the last of the wine into her glass, then swilled it down her throat. Cam was one glass away from being drunk and sufficiently numbed they noted silently.

Booth nodded to agree, adding, 'Then he saw an angel proclaim that the tree will be felled. The tree _is _felled, leaving just a stump. Daniel tells the King, the tree is him - he'll become mad for seven years until he proclaims God chooses the ruler of His kingdom, not Nebuchadnezzar.'

'Soooo all that means _what_, precisely?' Caroline was the only one to air the pertinent question, and loaded it with her humorous sarcasm. Nobody laughed though.

'Daniel is me, Bones - all of us, suffering under Pelant,' Booth explained. 'Max is warning us that he will _fell _Pelant if we don't do it first. And he's given us a deadline too: September fifth, 2012. If I know Max at all, he'll keep his promise…'

They all knew Max would take out Pelant to protect his family, he'd done it before several times. He wouldn't fear the consequences either, knowing his life was finite. But equally they feared what that would do to Bones and they couldn't let either of them suffer that again if it was in their power to prevent it. With all her bluster about killing Pelant herself, Ange was determined not to let Max have the last word. It was down to them to triumph, not fail; as that would be how it felt to them all.

With that thought in mind, Ange rose from her chair, and drained her glass, then said, 'Right then, we better get our butts in gear.' She shut down her laptop at a rush, instructing sympathetically, 'Get Cam some _strong _coffee, Sweetie.' Bleary eyed, Cam looked up woozily from her lap, hearing her name. Ange patted her shoulder understandingly.

'Where you going in such a hurry?' Caroline asked, eyeing Ange as if she was abandoning them, and taking the deadline too literally. Jack stood too, slipping his arm around Ange's waist, with an adoring, proud smile on his features.

Everyone's jaws dropped when she said, 'China - my plane leaves in an hour…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**The Following Morning**

**Correctional Facility and Remand Centre**

**Private Client/Lawyer Interview Room**

**10AM**

Booth could barely contain his excitement and anticipation about seeing her this morning. He was practically bouncing off the bland windowless walls of the small interview room set aside for lawyers to have private discussions with their clients. Trope watched him with a slight smile on his lips, understanding his buoyant mood. Things were moving fast on the case, and they had many leads to follow up on, especially now that all the law enforcement agencies seemed to be pulling their weight.

Booth knew too she must have received his letter and photo by now, and was hoping it had lifted her spirits as well as relieved some of her emotional, and possibly, physical tension. He was looking forward to seeing her eyes, because he'd know from what he'd catch in them what it meant to her.

Suddenly the door opened. Booth stopped pacing, and spun, beaming a smile. Head down and cuffed Bones was lead it. Booth's enthusiasm and expectations flew back out the door on seeing her. Dread filled his being as she came in as if under a storm and it was already hailing. She didn't look up while she was pushed to the chair to sit opposite Trope. Booth couldn't move his feet; it was if someone had glued them to the floor.

As the guard went to leave them alone, Trope reminded, 'Err. Excuse me - _cuffs_?' The guard strolled back with a sneer for him, and began to unshackle her. 'Doctor Brennan is _innocent _until proven guilty, you know?' he reminded sarcastically. The guard didn't even register his comment, but slammed the door behind her, leaving them alone.

Booth took an edgy pace towards her, his eyes not leaving Bones with her head still down and eyes in her lap. 'Bones?' Trope narrowed his eyes, just as confused by her unusual body language. Booth took another cautionary step towards her, with his stomach long since in his shoes and his failing heart loosing all sense of life. She didn't move or respond. 'Bones, its me,' he said softly, squatting beside her, and carefully taking her hand in his. She didn't grip it back as she'd done in the past. He tried to look into her eyes but her hair curtained her face, concealing her features. He was scared to see them in truth, fearing what disaster had clearly befallen her now.

He gently lifted her chin with his tender fingers for her to look into his eyes. She didn't resist, and looked up. What he saw in her eyes nearly knocked him off his feet. 'Oh. Jesus, Bones, what's happened?'

'_Tasmin_,' she spat, staring into his eyes with ire speckling her crisp irises.

He asked carefully, knowing the two had become inevitably close, 'What about her - is she - dead?'

'I don't know, they won't _tell _ME! Claudette attacked her - _cut _her open like she was _filleting _a steak!' Bones was suddenly on her feet and rigid. Every muscle was primed and ready to explode. Booth stood too, and took a pace back as her eyes turned deep violet with her rage and frustration. Bones ranted through the closed door, 'They won't tell me, those _fucking _HEARTLESS robots! They're sadistic low-lifes, amoral and get off on making us SUFFER!' Bones booted the door she'd been delivered through, then punched it too, hoping to land one on the guard standing outside. Booth's jaw dropped; he'd never seen her lose her temper this way. She'd finally cracked completely, he realised, as did Trope.

Bones spun from the battered door, pacing towards Booth in menacing way. He took another pace back. The storm began to deepen when she sneered, 'What's the fucking point of you coming here? _Nothing _is going to change. I'm going to _rot _in here! You placate and _whisper _loving assurances but we all know I'm not going to make that court date!' Boiling over, she picked up the chair, and flung it across the room with a feral growl which made both men flinch with their shock. It clattered into the corner as their stunned eyes watched it fly across the room. With blanched cheeks and streaming eyes, neither of which she noticed, she tore Booth off another strip with, 'And you sending me _stupid _slushy romantic letters in an attempt to pacify - its pa-_thetic_ - _you're _pathetic!' Booth withered, his eyes filled, and he took a breath of the acid turbulent atmosphere.

'Bones…'

She commanded over his attempt to calm, 'SHUT-UP!' What's _he _doing here anyway?' She pointed at Trope as if he was something on her shoes she picked up in the exercise yard. 'You - you _useless _son-of-a-bitch. What's the point, eh? Call yourself a lawyer - you're a poor excuse! You couldn't argue your way out of a paper bag! Your ineptitude and apathy cost me _MY _daughter - YOU - you ineffectual, money grabbing jerk off! You're _fired! _Get OUT!'

Booth castigated sharply, '_Bones_!' Trope grimaced, looking to Booth for direction, but Booth was already too busy scrutinizing his estranged partner. She'd lost her logic, reason, faith and emotional control; which didn't surprise him in the slightest.

Bones soured the atmosphere more with a slashing, 'Enough of what, Booth - the _truth_? You both make me want to vomit.' Her wild eyes spotted the items they'd bought her, and tossed them across the table, as she scowled, 'What did you bring me? Oh. Chocolate - tobacco - phone cards - how very thoughtful but completely _useless_. Don't bother next time, I rather have discharge papers and a ticket out of here or have you forgotten that on purpose?' Bones then stood a hairs breadth from Booth's face, as she sneered, 'Or it is because its better for you that I'm stuck in this cess pit of all human life so you can _screw _Genny Shaw?'

Booth pupils dilated at the absurd accusations, and realised paranoia too was eating her empty. He started to explain, 'Its not like…'

Peering into his eyes, she cut in over him. 'Did you think I wouldn't get to know about that being in here? Well, as usual, you underestimate people of a higher intellect than you, which isn't hard, is it? What is your IQ, Booth? Three points higher than a _primate_?' Booth looked to Trope, and gestured with his head for him to leave them. He snatched up his files, and left quickly without a word. Bones shadowed him out of the door, growling, 'Go on, piss off and don't _come _BACK!'

Booth shoved the door closed, then gripped her arm, spinning her around to face him. 'You cheating _bastard_. You promised me you'd get me out of here, you'd get Christine back and we'd be a family.' She snatched her arm out of his grip. 'You liar - you lied to me. I _hate _you - I _HATE _YOU!' she raged in his face. Booth grabbed both her arms, and marched her backwards till her back hit the far wall. She fought him all the way, but he refused to let her go.

Pinning her against the wall, he encouraged in her ear, as she tossed her flaming mane, and gnashed her teeth, refusing, determined not to listen to what he had to say, 'Let it go, Bones, _all _of it. Kick, punch, spit, _scratch_, insult me, come on - just get this _venom _out of you.' His intense snarled statement caught her off guard: expecting calming words but she accepted the surprise invitation and insistence.

The tornado hit the ground running and tore up everything in its way.

'Let-me GO!' Snapping herself free, she ran through two chairs for the table, and up ended it with a primal howl brandishing tears and spittle. It crashed into the door rattling it on the hinges. Just as fast Bones grabbed a tossed chair, and swung it around at head height, then smacked it into the floor at her feet. Another chair was levered into the air and bounced off the two walls like a squash ball, accompanied by another scream. Booth ducked it en route to the door, and wedged the back of the chair up under the handle, not letting anybody in. He had to keep an eye on her, and protect himself from flying debris at she made everything inanimate in the square room airborne several times over.

Solid Booth stood, narrowed eyed and watched her lash out at the injustice, incensed - blinded by it, and turned inside out. Although it scared the life out of him to see her fractured, in pain and torn; her wrath was defensible and healthy and much better than the alternative. He was determined to be as passive as he could be in the circumstances. He became her guardian to ensure she didn't injure herself in the process of purging the toxins of hate; paranoia, frustration, panic, grief, and unfairness from her system. It was a hideous fascinating beauty she displayed which kept him mesmerised as she trail blazed and darted around the room. Booth caught odd words, names and cusses she spewed in her violent tirade. He also knew she would never had done this with anyone else watching on but him, and that knowledge was humbling. At her very worst she was amazing with the wind at her heels and a fire burning so intensely in her belly, he awed. It was a frightening thing to witness but held hope for them to survive. Sweets had warned him this break would come and told him to prepare for it. He was glad now that he had.

With the room trashed, scarred and broken, panting, she stared, throbbing at a mangled wobbling chair, with a hand holding her agonised flank. Booth took his opportunity to step towards her. 'Don't touch me -,' she ordered, sensing him nearing, '_just _- don't.' Booth halted as instructed, and waited for his banshee to give her permission to touch her. She hung her head, taking deep rapid breaths, then slowly lifted her head, and looked over her shoulder to him with eyes full of shame. Seeing it, he bravely took another pace towards her, but she shook her head, looking away, closing her burning eyes, not ready to be comforted yet or be forgiven. Before she realised his arms were around her, and his lips at her ear but it was too soon. 'Let me GO - _leave _me!' She spun, wrestling in his grip, and got free again, and slammed herself up against the wall, getting as far away from him as possible, scared of what damage she might do to him. Her trembling hands tried to gouge the wall away so she could retreat from him further, fearing for him.

Booth stepped a little closer, she snapped her palm up to his chest to hold him at arms length. 'Leave me - I'm not done…' she warned. She could feel his heat through his shirt, his racing heart, see the empathy in his watery eyes which was mingled with fathomless love and acceptance - all disgraced her.

He avowed, 'I'm _never _leaving you,' as he stepped back, giving her room to do her worst. The crimson mist that fogged her tortured mind began to slowly part and drift off then cleared from her eyes, hearing his solemn pledge. Before he could step fully away she gripped his shirt in her hand, and yanked him close and onto her lips, where she mauled him with a savage kiss. Immediately he matched her intensity and insane passion. She bit, grunted and snarled her assault, fumbling for his hand, and thrust it between her legs.

Without hesitation Booth found a route into her unflattering luminescent jumpsuit, and like a lightening bolt into her burning flesh.

'G'arh!' she cried out as he stabbed two fingers inside her, and tossed her head back. Booth bored his eyes into her agonised features which divulged every putrid emotions as she rode his thick fingers, with her wild stare impaled on his, and biting her bottom lip. 'Get-me-off, faster, _faster_,' she demanded in a breathy unabashed snarl. Booth had every intention of doing just that, or whatever she needed to expunge her of all traces of this temporary insanity. He felt her sweet cream soften his rapidly probing fingers, and her breathing quicken. Her knees began to weaken, and started slipping down the wall. He wedged her up against it with his fully body weight, not allowing her to drop. She whimpered her approval, then kissed him again just as savagely.

Smelling her exotic fragrance rise between them, and feeling her slippery heat clutch only encouraged his fingers deeper, and then his thumb to join in on her swollen nub. Turgid and restricted, needing to be stimulated, he thrust against her hip, mimicking his fingers. She whined again deep into his mouth and around his penetrating tongue. They staggered together, shifted against one another; tighter, faster, harder: building to a snatched illicit climax.

Unexpectedly Bones stilled on a gasp of vital purification, then crooned her guttural satisfaction down his throat. It wasn't a euphoric loving moment shared, not for her anyway, rather a compulsory violent physical and emotional full stop to her untamed outburst. Her unfounded accusations, nasty belittling comments and vicious irrational behaviour ended with her violent draining spasms.

Squeaking down the wall, sweaty and breathless Bones rocked, dizzy on her knees, but Booth went with her, breathing in her ear, 'Hold on, hold on to me.' She did for her life, burying her face and tears in the crook of his shoulder. 'Its gonna be ok, Bones.'

'I just need to know if she survived - I _need _to know,' she pleaded feebly now, lifting her face to look into him. Booth nodded, offering her a tender smile as she began to breathe regularly again, and recover. 'I was reading your wonderful letter, you see?' Booth brushed her hair from her cheek tenderly, nodding. 'She'd left me alone to read it but she heard Claudette say she was going to pay me a visit again. Tasmin tried to stop her - stood up to her for me and she _gutted _her, Booth.' Bones' chin waggled, as her eyes trickled her sorrow. Booth swept the tears away with his thumb, just letting her talk. He knew now why she'd reacted so severely; she felt guilty and responsible for Tasmin's assault and could empathise completely with that crushing emotion. 'I've grown very fond of her, and with Daisy…' Bones paused when there was a gentle tap on the door.

They both looked over to it. Bones quickly wiped her eyes, sniffing, and did up the single jumpsuit button he'd deftly slipped underneath. Then Booth helped her up, shouting over his shoulder casually, 'Yep, just give us a minute!' They hurriedly put back the table in its original position along with the chairs, and placing the items he'd brought her on top of the table again. With one last look around the room, Booth opened the door.

Trope peered around it with a cautionary smile. 'She's ok - Tasmin, I mean. The surgery went well - apparently.' Booth snapped his eyes to Bones, seeing her shoulders sag with abyssal relief, and a hesitant smile cross her lips. Noting Trope was unsure whether to come in, she waved him in, and took a much needed seat. Booth opened the door allowing him in, relieved she hadn't permanently let him go, and patted his back for his intuition to find out about Tasmin fate.

Booth shut the door again, but this time sat next to Bones. Instantly she took his hand in hers, while straightening out her roughed up hair with the other. Trope didn't comment on the broken pieces of chocolate in a pile nor the broken chair he had to sit on, but sat gingerly on it. It creaked as he did, and made him sit at an awkward angle across from them. Bones and Booth saw his blush, as he opened his file, and snatched glances at each other, trying not to giggle at his lopsided posture.

'Mr Trope, please forgive me for…' she trailed off when he raised his hand to silence her.

'No apologies required, Doctor Brennan. I've been called _much _worse, believe me.'

'Thank you. I'm feeling much better now.' Booth grinned wryly, feeling Bones squeeze his hand to gently admonish. 'I'd like to instruct you to take on Tasmin's case and have her transferred to this private medical facility as soon as it can be arranged.' Booth cocked a brow at her, Bones ignored its question. She took the pen from Trope's hand, and wrote down an address on the front of her file. 'She has a lawyer appointed by the court without insufficient funds for good council. She's awaiting trial on the murder charge of infanticide, she is also HIV positive. When you talk to her tell her to tell you _exactly _what she told _me _the night we talked about when we lost our virginities. I shall write to her presently. She's also illiterate: you'll need to read my letter to her.' Booth snapped his eyes to Bones surprised she would've divulged that to a stranger, considering it took her nearly five years to tell him about it. Bones squeezed his hand, and smiled at him, as she said, 'Just girl talk, Booth, the nights are long and empty.' He pecked her lips softly, deeply relieved she seemed back in control of her emotions finally. 'I also strongly suggest you have her child's remains sent to the Jeffersonian and have umm - _Wendell _examine them.'

Booth ventured, 'She's innocent then?'

'I believe so, yes.'

'You don't have to do this for her, Bones.'

'_Yes_ - I do, Booth,' she confirmed solidly.

'I'll visit her tomorrow then,' Trope assured. Bones nodded, handing him back the pen. He went on, 'We haven't got long left so I'll come straight to the point. The night Sawyer gave you the book -,' Bones nodded, taking herself back to that night, 'where did you put the copy when you left the unit?'

'I walked to my vehicle and put it in the trunk. I didn't want to leave it visible when I went into the store.' Bones then said to Booth, 'You're always reminding me to put my valuables out of sight - so I did.' He grinned hard, and nodded.

'Yes, and that was definitely before you went to the store to pick up groceries, correct?' Bones nodded to confirm. 'Ok. Did anything happen on the drive to the grocery store?'

'Like what?'

'Anything unusual.' Bones shook her head. But Trope tried again to nudge her recall with, 'The drive there was _totally _incident free then?'

'Umm. Well, _yes_, except a car swerved into my lane en route - I had to brake sharply to avoid a minor fender-bender - it was _nothing _really…' Booth throbbed with excitement, and smacked her lips with his, which bemused her. Equally excited by her reply, Trope twitched in his chair which finally succumbed to its injuries. With a ping and crack Trope ended up on the floor in a graceless heap. Booth and Bones looked at him flailing on the floor like an upturned tortoise, and fell into fits of laughter.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Simultaneously**

**Agra **

**India**

'Ooooh, My…' Maria purred, sitting on a white marble bench beside Max with Christine snoozing comfortably in her shaded stroller. Max's grin grew stronger, and flicked his eyes to hers. He noted they were wide and glistening with the high sun, and could see she was entranced by the spectacular view. 'You take me to all the _best _places, Max.' He chortled, then silently shared the experience with her for a while.

The majestic snow white Taj Mahal floated like a cloud sent from heaven on the earth, buzzed by overawed people on its plinth. Framed by four elegant minarets the octagonal structure glared the pristine sunlight back at them. An acid blue sky backdrop trimmed its intricate yet elegant edges and made it look surreal. Its sublime smooth marble onion-shaped dome urged the eye upwards to its golden crescent moon on a high finial: its horns pointing skywards. A perfect mirage of itself shimmered in a long watery reflection towards them; doubling the assault on the senses, and slowed their breathing. If this exquisite temple proved love lost, grief and the tragedies in life; it was also a dazzling reminder that those things can be endured, so offered hope.

Max gently rocked Christine in her stroller as he read from the guide book to Maria, 'In love and terrible grief, the emperor, Shah Jahan, built this mausoleum to his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, after she died giving birth to their _fourteenth _child. He said at its completion four years later, "Should guilty seek asylum here, like one pardoned, he becomes free of sin. Should a sinner make his way to this mansion, all his past sins are to be washed away…".'

'Do you believe that - feel that?' she asked gently, glancing at his profile, then back to the view. Max huffed softly, and shook his head, looking back to the guide book in his free hand. 'Jahan was riddled with guilt -,' Maria went on, 'he loved her so much and blamed himself for her death. He thought building this heavenly mausoleum atoned for his sin of loving her too much - but that's _never _a sin.' Max quirked his lips, taking a deep breath to exhale slowly, then looked at the view again. She asked, gently nudging him with a shoulder bump, 'How are you feeling?'

'Great, thanks - I feel as _strong _as an ox - hungry though. _Actually_, I saw one not far from here I reckon I could chow it down_._' He shone her a charming smile, crossing his eyes at her.Maria giggled at his fooling around and silly face. She pecked his cheek, then stood, holding her hand out for him to get up. Max didn't hesitate, he took her offered hand. She pulled him up still smiling. He was quietly pleased and flattered when she held onto it, as they walked away through the tranquil water gardens.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! **

**Correctional Facility and Remand centre**

**Two hours Later**

Claudette was cuffed and restrained in a private interview, awaiting a visitor. There was a pack of cigarettes and matches in an ashtray but she had long since given up trying to reach them. Chained to the desk, she ordered arrogantly, 'Hey! Pass me those snouts.' Her guard ignored her completely, resting his head back to the wall, then closed his eyes. 'Ya _jerk _off,' she muttered under breath just as the door opened and in walked an attractive, smartly dressed slim African American woman with a file in her hand and Gucci clutch. Claudette saw her gesture casually for the guard to leave with her head: he did quickly. Then the door closed behind the woman with jet black hair in a functional bob and wicked heels. The door locked with a clunk as she turned the key.

'You're not my brief - where's my brief?' The woman took a seat opposite her, placing the file on the desk, and opened it slowly, not responding to her question nor acknowledging Claudette. 'Hey, _Bitch_, say something or naff off.'

'Your brief -,' the woman began coolly, not looking up but at her file, 'Mr Hambledon, has been arrested on tax evasions charges and I've been instructed to represent you from now on. You've been accused of two murders, two assaults and as of this morning a _third _murder - Tasmin Sprott's.' She looked up into Claudette's eyes, stating the obvious, 'It doesn't look good for you, does it?'

'What-_ever _- just do your job,' Claudette sneered, reaching again for the pack of cigarettes in the ashtray.

'Would you care for a cigarette?' the woman offered pleasantly. Claudette nodded, looking her over critically, thinking she was hot. Taking off the cellophane wrap from the pack, she then flicked the cigarettes out so Claudette could take one. She did immediately, not noticing the slight discolouration on its filter tip. The woman struck a match, then held it to the end of the cigarette at her lips, saying, as Claudette took a deep draw on it, 'Is this brand to your liking?' Claudette huffed, nodded, and nonchalantly sat back. 'Great. Ok. I read your file this morning - just getting myself up to speed.' Claudette took a drag, acknowledging that another nod. Her brief shot her a perfunctory smile, adding, 'You have an unfortunate nut allergy, I see.'

'So - what's that gotta do with anything?' Then she coughed gently, taking another puff, and blowing it out across the table into the woman's face, eyeing her cleavage.

'In approximately thirty seconds you'll start to feel light-headed…' Claudette snagged her head back, and snorted her amusement, taking yet another deep drag to prove a point. She thought her brief was anti-smoking but pussy-footing around it. 'Your throat will close over, and your heart will begin to pound.' Claudette gawped at her as if she was insane. 'You see, Claudette, the tip of that cigarette has been infused with a potent compound similar to those found in _nuts_.' Claudette began to lose her smug smile: the dawning of her imminent demise rose like a spectre in her cold eyes.

'You _must _be aware of the effects of a severe allergic reaction, you'll start to feel those effects _very _soon, I believe…' Unsure if she was serious, Claudette twitched on her chair, but then coughed again. 'This _particular _drug however, suppresses the autonomic function of respiration, causes paralysis and eventually… you're going to _die _an agonising, unsightly death while I watch on…' she informed casually with a pretty smile.

Claudette looked at the cigarette as the symptoms the woman described began to manifest. She began to cough repeatedly, and struggle to fill her lungs with air, and mortal panic infested her eyes. She quickly stubbed out the cigarette in the ashtray. The ice cold woman reached into her purse, and pulled out a syringe full of a clear liquid, and waved it slowly in Claudette puffing face, saying, 'This is the antidote; a mixture of epinephrine and antihistamines.' Claudette's horror and symptoms increased at an alarming rate. Panicking, she tried to get up, and reach for the syringe, coughing and spluttering, but she couldn't reach it.

Her lawyer slipped of her chair, and stood beside her but just out of Claudette's manic reach. 'I need some question answered _truthfully _before I administer it. Just shake or nod your head to reply - I can see things are becoming very difficult for you.'

Claudette was turning a vile shade of blue and scarlet; her lungs burned as they constricted, and her throat was filled with a white sticky foam which frothed out of her mouth. 'You have about a minute left to live - don't waste that time.' Claudette nodded, gasping for air. 'Where you instructed to attack and _cut _Temperance Brennan?' Claudette nodded fast, clutching at her throat, and sweating. 'How were you contacted; by phone, mail, or email?' Claudette mimed by letter. 'How did he pay you - with money?' She shook her head. 'Drugs?' She nodded. 'Who brought them to you?' Thrashing, rattling her restraints, Claudette began to drown on her own body fluids, her face screwed up in agony, as she tried to speak. Her wild dilated eyes looked for a pen, her iceberg of a brief handed her one. Slumping to the desk, Claudette quickly scrawled a name on the file with the last of her strength, desperate to be spared this fate.

'Thank you. Now, one _final _question, before I save your pathetic, _worthless _life…' She knelt beside the felled Claudette, and whispered in her ear as she tried to gasp weakly for breath, with her cheek flat on the table, 'Why are you so sure this is the antidote - and not just saline?' Petrified, Claudette eyes grew wider as the woman put the syringe back in her purse. Then to Claudette's surprise she took out a Snickers bar from her fancy purse, broke a piece off, and threw the rest at Claudette, it hit her swollen face and lips. Claudette whimpered unable to move away, almost unconscious.

En route to the door Cam picked up the pack of cigarettes and the stub from the ashtray, depositing them in her purse as well as the chunk of nutty chocolate. She placed her hand on the handle, fighting her conscience and morality, hearing Claudette's grotesque last mortal gasps…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! **

**A/N: **Da-da-darrr… Will Cam let Claudette die & risk a murder charge of her own? What does Shaw have up her sleeves to help Bones' case? And what was all that about _the _book and a near fender-bender? These and other questions will, no doubt, be answered shortly in, **Pelant**. Reviews always happily received and replied to. Hugs, Lebxeb. XX


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: **All characters portrayed here are fictional. No infringement of rights intended. Bones & its characters are a product of Fox Inc. & not mine. No financial gain is received from this work of fiction.

**Summary: **Pelant is free, Bones isn't, but for how long? Remember: "Nothing is what it seems…" - Seeley Booth.

**Rating: M **

**Apologies first: **Way too many typo's in last chapter, mega sorry folks. Must try harder - _will _try harder.

**Thanks: **to Guest, Guest & Guest for their insights, generous encouragements, and questions: hopefully some of which will be answered here. _And_, of course, in later chapters. *coy wink* Squishy hugs to all XX.

**Pelant**

**Chapter X**

**HQ Of Choy P'ang Inc.**

**Beijing**

**China**

Ange jumped out of the cab onto the bustling downtown street in the heart of the throbbing, seething ancient city of Beijing. The first thing that hit her was the noise of the six lane freeway rushing by; that cacophony didn't help her residual jet-lag headache. Then the next thing that struck her was the acrid smell of pollution hanging heavy in the stifling air as she breathed in. She felt it burn the back of her throat and nostrils, and grimaced, putting her hand up to cover her mouth. The next were the sea of hot people that were scurrying along the narrow sidewalk on their way to their employ and blocked her route to the foyer doors directly ahead: twelve feet away. The people were mixed with the sweet smell of wood smoke from the busy satay vendors dotted along the street. Then the next thing hit her, literarily. A scooter: one of the thousands of silent electric scooters, replacing traditional bicycles, that weaved in and out through the pedestrians on the sidewalk, clipped her arm with its wing mirror. 'Ow! _Jesus_. WATCH IT!' she barked at the rider, rubbing her bruised tri-cep. He didn't even acknowledge her, and carried on regardless through the focused throngs.

Ange had an idealised image of Beijing, like most westerners. Even the name conjured up a magical kingdom of emperors and temples with lofted wing-like terracotta roofs. But this metropolis shattered that romantic image of meandering ancient walls cresting misty mountain ridges. Or farmers hunched over, working tirelessly in rice paddies with flat cone-shaped reed hats protecting them from the fierce sun. Where was that place, that dream? she asked herself. If this was the modern China and the new way, she didn't like it very much. She hadn't seen the famed red sun properly yet either, although she knew it was up there, somewhere, because the sidewalks were steaming with its radiated heat. She was also fully aware that China had a large population, however, she wasn't expecting the 1.8 billion to be directly in her way and all on this particular street this morning.

To completely ruin her romantic fantasy of the polite respectful Chinese people, and as she braced herself to dissect the human traffic: a man in a charcoal suit; polished shoes and briefcase, sniffed snot down his nose, then spat it out at her feet; not aiming it at her but just to clear his throat. Ange jumped back as the globule splattered, and her jaw hung in shock. Then seeing the greenish globule smear the paving slabs, she gagged. 'EeeeEW! _Gross_,' she withered, then got angry. She looked up the sheer face of the eighty floored skyscraper, and took a deep determined breath. Then she set her sights on the huge entrance doors over the heads of everyone, and powered through the ambivalent people. Clutching her briefcase to her chest, she nudged, jostled and snapped her orders for them to get out of the way, while keeping her eyes peeled for more silent scooters which could take her out at anytime. It took her a while but once at the revolving doors, she slammed herself inside one vacant section, and let it feed her into the grandiose foyer.

Everything was quiet in foyer and calm, she noted immediately, it was very cool too and didn't have a twang of anything else except lemons in the air. It was fresh, clean and smothered at every opportunity with gold. Even the elevator doors were gold leaf-ed but she thought they looked tacky and were trying to prove a point. A gargantuan flower arrangement, in an equally huge terracotta pot, stood proudly in the middle of the Italian marble floor. Sumptuous chocolate leather couches lined the walls either side of her and ahead was a stunningly pretty Chinese receptionist: who stood from behind her twenty foot long marble desk, and smiled pleasantly at her.

Relaxing finally in the cool, quiet vast space, Ange stopped clutching her briefcase to her bosom, and smiled back just as pleasantly. 'Ni hao,' the slight receptionist greeted politely. 'You are - Ms _Montenegro_?' she asked precisely, and pronouncing her name perfectly.

Moving towards the desk, Ange confirmed, 'Yes - yes, I am. I have an…'

The receptionist cut in extremely politely, 'Appointment, yes. Please, sign in here and where you're staying in Beijing.' While Ange did as instructed, the receptionist busied herself with a printer just out of full sight under the desk. Ange watched her with one eye as she placed a passport-sized sticky photo of her, which had obviously just been taken, on a security pass. Ange looked around secretly to see where the camera was as she wrote, spotting it to her right in the far corner of the reception. It sent chills down her spine especially when the camera moved, and refocused on her face. Ange continued to fill in the form. The receptionist smiled warmly with a slight head bow, as she handed her the pass, then gestured towards to the lavish elevators. 'Please, they are expecting you,' she said.

'Thanks - I _think_,' she muttered warily. Ange clipped the pass onto her jacket lapel, and began to walk to the elevators, but paused to ask, 'Oh. Excuse me, but which floor do I need?'

'Our elevator will take you directly there, Ms Montenegro,' she explained, with yet another respectful head bob. Ange cocked a brow, then walked to the elevator, knowing the receptionist's eyes and the camera lens were following her - that gave her stomach butterflies bigger wings. To her surprise the doors opened automatically, and she stepped inside. The doors closed with a soft efficient swish. Ange noted there wasn't any buttons to push nor was there a stop button or alarm, which made her a little more anxious and suspicious. All she could see were four full length reflections of herself; each one looked increasingly nervous the higher she was taken.

Surprising her again the doors slid open, and was temporarily blinded by bright light streaming into the office the elevator had taken her to. A vast expanse of glass directly ahead gave her an eagle-eye view of the cityscape out of the windows. It was unexpectedly dramatic. Ange's breath caught. The ultra-modern, unusual shaped skyscrapers in the distance powered up through the hanging yellowish smog and into the powder-blue sky above. Each one a modern equivalent of a cathedral built in honour, not of an omnipotent God, but to gods of another kind; power, wealth, intellect, architecture, industry and technology. Her image of old Beijing had been swept away and replaced by this, she realised. What was also evident, was the more important you were, the higher your view was in Beijing.

In front of the windows was a large turn-of-the-century mahogany desk. Behind the desk was a coral leather chair with huge arm wings: its occupant was staring out of the windows at the spectacular elevated view, legs crossed, and casually smoking a cigarette. Cautiously Ange stepped into the enormous minimalist tranquil space, just as the chair's occupant turned slowly in it to face her. Ange smiled, saying, 'Hello, Mom…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Booth & Bones' Home**

**7.30AM**

Booth stepped out from the shower smelling sweetly of Bones' usual shower foam. He was starting to fully appreciate the increasing softness to his skin the frangipani and jojoba cream gave him with regular use. And he loved the way his skin's scent reminded him of Bones too. He didn't care if he smelt like a girl because that scent made him feel closer to her.

Securing a towel around his hips, he began to load his toothbrush, then looked at himself in the mirrors foggy reflection. He thought he looked well rested which wasn't a surprise to him. He'd slept well last night for the first time in weeks and his hearty meal last night had ensured that. Although Bones had lost it yesterday, she got _it _back, with his help: all was right with the world, he felt. Except, he just had to get her out of jail as quick as possible, which was in safe busy hands now, just not _his _hands.

As he began to clean his teeth, Parker came waltzing in, and announced proudly, peering through the clouds of fragrant steam, 'I've made toast.' Then he lifted the lid of the toilet, and squirreled himself out to have a pee.

'Ha. You make it sound as if you baked the bread yourself!'

'Daaad -,' he wined, 'you know what I mean. Umm. It smells like Bones in here,' he observed casually, then grimaced. Booth saw his shoulders sag and his head drop. He knew Parker felt bad for reminding him she wasn't here.

'Hey, Dude, chin up. You can talk about her, you know? I like it when you do - it makes me feel good.'

'Really? Mom said to be careful what I say. She's expecting you burst into tears or something,' he said, flushing.

'Yeah, well, things are lookin' up kid!' Booth bolstered, roughing his hair up as Parker washed his hands under the running tap. Snatching a towel off the rail to wipe his hands, Parker hopped up to sit on the surface beside the sinks.

'She didn't kill that guy, did she? She wouldn't do that,' he asked and answered his own question, watching Booth clean his teeth.

'No way,' Booth confirmed with a solid frothy smile for him. 'She's been framed for it - like I explained to you last night.' Parker nodded, then sagged again, dropping his head. 'What is it, Son?' Booth spat, and rinsed, eyeing Parker closely.

'Max has definitely got Christine, right? Got her safe?' Booth froze, hearing the fear and doubt in his voice. He stood in front of him, and placed a hand on each shoulder, giving them a gentle squeeze. Slowly Parker looked up into his eyes.

'Yes - he's got her _really _safe, Park. Bones and me, we trust him to take _great _care of her…' Booth wasn't sure if he should tell him something he'd left out last night. But by the look of sorrow in his eyes, he decided he should soothe his concern further, so added brightly, 'And guess what?' Parker shrugged a shoulder, obviously still worried about his baby sister. 'He's been sending us _postcards_.' Parker's pupils dilated and his body language changed. 'They're from all _over _the world. Bones has had two, and I got a little sketch he drew of her too. One from Hawaii, then from Antigua and the sketch was from _Egypt _near the Red Sea.'

Parker visibly slumped again, then droned, 'Oooooh Man. Christine gets to go _everywhere…_' He jumped down, and plodded out of the bathroom. Booth snapped his mouth shut, then started to snigger.

After cleaning up after himself and Parker, Booth walked out into the bedroom, hearing the doorbell chime, and then Parker call out from the kitchen, 'I'll get it, Dad!'

Instantly Pelant's face jumped into his minds eye, and Booth felt a wave of acute panic flood his system, jarring him into action. He pelted out of the bedroom, clutching the damp towel over his privates, yelling, 'NO - DON'T! PARK, _NO!_' That few meters he ran felt like he was climbing an endless ladder in treacle. His thighs felt heavy, his feet wouldn't move fast enough, and images of exploding flaming bodies flying into the air petrified him.

He skidded to a halt on the hardwood floor when he saw Parker had already opened the door, but he couldn't to see to whom. Booth's heart stopped and dropped. Holding the door handle, Parker looked over his shoulder to him but Booth had already caught that Parker had turned a ghostly shade of white…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Correctional Facility & Remand Centre**

With her cell door ajar, Bones busied herself making her bed, which she'd slept peacefully in. She recalled going to sleep at lock down and not stirring till the cell door opened at seven. It had been a refreshing sleep: the first since she'd been incarcerated. She couldn't even remember any dreams she may have had. She'd been emotionally drained yesterday and physically exhausted plus, with the unexpected release of sexual hormones, she didn't think it odd that she'd possibly the longest, deepest sleep of her adult life. She'd woken up in the same position as she fell asleep too, she'd noted, and wasn't disturbed by Tasmin either. Although she missed her company she hadn't last night.

Once happy with her made bed, Bones looked to Tasmin's side of the cell, and dropped a hip on a wry smile. The bed still wasn't made, as always. Frighteningly few pieces of her little life still clung to the single cupboard they shared, and the few personal items she'd brought in were scattered over the sheets. Bones set to work packing her things together, then put them into a grocery bag she'd saved. Then Bones stripped the bed, and neatly folded up the sheets ready to take them with her to the laundry drop on route to the communal bathroom for her ritual ablutions.

Bones jumped when a voice in the doorway said, 'That's good of you.' She spun, on alert instantly. A rotund stout woman with vibrant red hair in her fifties; wearing a chequered skirt that was too tight, and white blouse that was stretched over her large bosom, walked in with a file in her hand. Bones stepped back slightly, seeing a male guard stand sentry outside the door with his back to them. She recognised him as the guard that loaned her his cell to speak to Booth the other day.

'Do you know who I am?' she asked, closing the door completely with her black court heel. Bones shook her head slightly as the woman sat down on her newly made bed. 'Sit down,' she instructed. Cautiously Bones sat on the stripped mattress of Tasmin's bed, as the woman opened the file, then sighed heavily. As she looked up from it, she said, 'I'm the Governor - for my sins,' and smiled warmly at her, but the smile didn't transfer into her eyes, Bones noted. But that didn't stop Bones offering her hand. The Governor looked at it for a second, then cautiously shook it gently, scrutinizing her features and grazed knuckles. 'Believe it or not, you've caused me a few headaches and sleepless nights since you've been here.'

Bones didn't know if she was serious or being sarcastic, so said, 'I apologise, Governor. I never intended…' Bones trailed off when she showed her the flat of her palm to silence her.

A few moments later she said, 'You've got some very powerful friends. Are you aware of that?' Bones didn't know what to answer, so didn't. It didn't seem to matter because the Governor carried on without an answer, 'Since you've been here under my care -,' Bones thought that an odd thing to say but didn't let her confusion at her choice of word cross her features, 'you've been in the infirmary _twice_.' Bones swallowed slowly. 'And it says here, you also broke two other inmates noses, a _wrist _- a _jaw _and _several _of their fingers.'

'Phalanges,' Bones corrected.

The Governor flashed her green eyes to hers, snapping softly, 'Excuse me?'

'Yes, fingers, yes,' Bones quickly retracted, seeing a flicker of annoyance in her eyes for interrupting her, and twitched on the thin mattress. The Governor huffed softly as she tossed the file aside. She leant over her knees propping up her head with her knuckles under her chin via her elbows on her knees, and stared deep into Bones' eyes.

Another awkward silence drew on until she said, almost with compassion, but not quite, 'This situation has been very difficult for you, I know.' Bones nodded a miniscule amount to confirm that truth. 'You've been stripped of your liberty; child, lover, money, privacy, all creature comforts of home and accused of a murder of a friend.' Again Bones nodded, feeling her throat close and her eyes burn at being reminded of those cold hard facts. 'What's more, while you've been in here a close work colleague has been murdered in an explosion your partner has been accused of causing.' Bones shook her head to defend, but she caught the rebuff in her narrowing throat when the Governor stopped her again with a raised palm. She went on when she was sure Bones was not going to interrupt, 'Your father, an ex-convict, has abducted you daughter. Christine, isn't it?' Bones nodded sharply several times, while flicking a tear away that had slipped onto her cheek inadvertently, and swallowed hard again. 'He - Max, I understand, has recently been diagnosed with cancer…' Bones dropped her eyes and head, nodding slowly, watching her tears drip onto her jumpsuit.

'To top off this living nightmare, you're famous - a _world _famous anthropologist that has put away, in facilities like this one, many criminals, _and - _and you're a best selling author… You've been personally and professionally humiliated; spat at, cut, marked - _probably _for life, physically assaulted, fear and _still _fear for your life, had an emotional, violent breakdown yesterday where you trashed my interview room. You've lost a quarter of your body weight and are on medication for an infection and have a broken rib. Yet despite all that has been done to you - you saved a life while others stood by… Furthermore you arranged for private medical treatment for that individual and arranged for her murder case to be reviewed.' Bones didn't know how she found that out but wasn't going to interrupt again. 'You've written many family letters for several inmates on the block on their behalf _and _read them back from their family members and lawyers to the inmates - on some occasions you've explained the legal terminology in simple language and made - _suggestions.._.' Bones flicked her eyes up briefly to hers, as the Governor sat back up, and crossed her legs slowly.

'Secretly you've arranged, and have personally funded, the updating of our small library, donated a new TV for the common room, and a ping-pong table and balls. Freely shared your few personal items and treats with your fellow inmates without expecting anything in return - except maybe, acceptance…' Still with her head down Bones sniffed, flicking tears off both cheeks this time. 'You've not asked for, or expected, special treatment and have refused, on _two _occasions, to be transferred to a safer environment or prison… I'm _barraged _every day with request for visits for you. Most of which I have to _refuse _because there aren't enough hours in the day,' she said, sounding exasperated and mildly annoyed by the inconvenience. Bones noticed her tone tightened further as she divulged, 'I've been inundated with offers of help and donations from various charities - drug and alcohol abuse groups, mother and baby programs, reproductive counselling, educational groups, you name it! I've had _everything _clutter my desk in the weeks you've been in here!' The Governor's voice ratcheted up another notch. 'I spend my days on the _phone _or dictating letters; answering a _plethora _of emails and dealing with _pissed _off lawyers, pushy politicians and press, _AND_, I even had a letter from the White House this _morning_!' Bones flinched at her shout, and grimaced, but was secretly delighted her persistent letters had finally brought a response.

The Governor stood, picking up the file, as she asked rhetorically, 'Do you know what, Doctor Brennan?' Bones looked up slowly, and swallowed, feeling like a soundly reprimanded school pupil. The Governor smiled warmly: in her eyes and on her lips this time. 'I don't wanna lose you - you're _good _for this hell hole. So, here's what's going to happen…' Bones knew by her tone nothing she was going to say was up for negotiation or refusal. 'This cell is for your sole use from now on. That second bed is going to be removed and a desk put in its place. You will continue to do what you've been doing for these people until such time as you are cleared of all charges and released.' Bones nodded, feeling her spirits lift. 'But please - _please_, Doctor Brennan, no more crusades and pissing off every…' Bones risked an interruption.

'Just one - _please_,' she begged, then rushed, 'The inmates need education on eating healthily and a regular supply of fresh fruit - I can arrange for…'

'That's it! After that, _no _more - _kapeesh_?'

'Kapeesh -,' Bones said, then, 'is that a type of melon?' The Governor looked at her as if she was insane until Bones grinned, and cheekily winked at her. Bones heard her cackle echo off the corridor walls as she walked away, shadowed by her beefy male guard. '_Yeees!_' Bones punched the air in triumph, then ouched as her rib tweaked, reminding her it was time to collect her medications.

As she grabbed her wash bag and the dirty sheets one of her regular tobacco addicts popped her head around the door. Bones stilled. 'I've got a _little _left, Nash, but I'm just about to…' she paused when Natasha came in, checking she wasn't seen, and closed the door slightly.

'Have you heard the goss?' Nash whispered with wide eyes. Bones shook her head. '_Claudette _got a visit from her new brief yesterday. She was _smoking _hot apparently, so Chris said. Anyway - there was like a _major _medical emergency. It's all _kicking _off this week,' she said excitedly, bouncing on Bones' bed on her bottom as if testing the mattress. 'She took a bite of a _Snicker _bar and started to choke cos she's _allergic_.'

'To chocolate?' Bones queried, walking out of her cell down the corridor towards the bathrooms.

Nash followed her like an excited puppy, dancing around her, as she explained, 'Nooo, _nuts_. Snickers got loads of nuts - everybody knows _that_. She _nearly _died,' she cooed, flaring her eyes, hoping she had. Bones shoved the linen into the shoot, and turned into the bathrooms as Nash went on, 'Chris said she was _frothing _and spitten' up, hardly breathin' - her face was all blue and _puffed _up and she was slumped over the table.' Bones cocked an intrigued brow as she stripped, and walked under a shower head. Nash tried not to look, as she added, sounding impressed, 'But the hot brief hit the panic button - saved her _life_.'

'How?' Bones asked, soaping herself up in the needle sharp cascade, knowing that wouldn't have been possible if those symptoms had already taken hold without rapid medical intervention.

'Chris said she had a syringe of _stuff _with her because she had the same allergy and knew what was happening to her.'

'How convenient for Claudette,' Bones muttered softly. Nash didn't hear that comment. 'So, Claudette knew she was allergic but still bit into the Snicker's bar?'

Nash nodded, shrugging a shoulder, thinking that _was _strange too, but then probed Bones to theorise, 'What do you reckon to that, Temps - suicide attempt?'

'Its possible but seems out of character for Claudette. She showed no remorse whatsoever when she cut open Tasmin. Nor did she look concerned that she might die and have another murder charge added to her previous one. Or maybe she thought one more attempted murder didn't matter in her dire circumstances, I don't know. One can only speculate - we have no facts.'

Nash had a notorious short attention span, and changed the subject. 'That looks better, Temps,' she remarked, nodding towards her stomach wound. Bones looked down, wiping the suds away to check its recovery. 'Its funny - kinda looks like letters. Do you think she was trying to write her initials on ya or something _twisted _like that?' Bones knew they were exactly that but not Claudette's. It wasn't them that made her snap her head up, and stare into Nash's eyes for a few heart stopping moments. Nash saw her pale, growing concerned, she asked, 'What - what is it?'

Placing her hand on her stomach, Bones slumped back to the white tiled wall, and closed her eyes, as she agonised quietly under the thunder of the water, 'Ooh. No - no you didn't, did you - not risk that for me..?'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! **

**Simultaneously**

**Ethan Sawyer's Room**

**Psychiatric Facility**

Flynn stripped off the yellow crime scene tape barring access to the room, then nodded to Doctor Noble to unlock it. She did from her set of keys, then stepped back. Flynn looked over his shoulder to the masked, sealed-up FBI Forensic Team to enter. The sight of the Team in full hazmat suits chilled Alyson's heart and blood.

Flynn didn't follow the Team in but instructed, pointing, 'Take all those in the bookcase and any others from his desk.' He added, looking around the room from the threshold, 'Bag and catalogue everything - _carefully_. Then I want every goddamn dust particle _sucked _out of this room and taken back to our labs.' The three man Team nodded solemnly, and got to work. 'Seal this area,' he ordered one other Team member, who stepped forwards, and put up a polyurethane sheet over the open door, securing into place rapidly. Nobel noted it had a zip up the middle to allow egress. Flynn gently guided Dr Nobel away. 'The FBI is very sorry for inconveniencing the regular running of this unit but you understand how important it is to do so.' Nobel nodded, keeping pace with him, with a persistent sense of foreboding in her stomach.

'You've been over this room several times looking for evidence, I can't imagine there's anything left to find,' she remarked, suddenly distracted by a huge concertinaed poly tube being stretched out from the FBI Trailer in the parking lot towards Sawyer's room.

Ignoring the commotion around them, Flynn kept steering her onwards, and smiled wryly. 'We know what we're looking for now, Dr Nobel.'

'Are my remaining patients in any danger, Agent Flynn?'

'Goodness, no!' he assured with a charming, believe me, smile. 'This is all to ensure whatever forensic evidence we discover is not tainted. Now - I'd like to review your visitor logs for the last eight months.'

'But you've already got copies.' Flynn shook his head.

'No, not the computer list you gave us - the _physical _logs.' Dr Nobel entered her office, with her mind spinning, and feeling completely out of her depth. Flynn closed the door gently, adding, '_And _-,' surprised there was more, she looked up into his eyes, as he pushed his hands into his suit pants, 'all the time sheets, rotors and employment records of all your employees - past and present…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Arlington Mercy Hospital**

**Ward 2**

**Room 101**

Sleeping off the effects of her violent allergic reaction yesterday, Claudette breathed shallowly. She was cuffed by the left wrist to the side restraint of the bed and similarly by the right ankle in the same manner. She had a cannula in her right wrist which was attached to a saline drip pump. Her heartbeat was monitored and beeped quietly, sedately. The metronomic sound was making her exhausted guard drowsy, and preventing her from waking up properly. She shifted her numb bottom on the visitor chair, opening her eye slightly to check the time, then closed it again on a bored sigh.

'_Goood _morning!' Putting on a pair of latex gloves, a bright white-coated doctor walked in making Claudette snap awake and her bleary-eyed guard too. 'Oops. Sorry,' he apologised, seeing the guard jump in her chair. He immediately grimaced another apology, heading for the end of the bed to look at Claudette's charts. 'Have you been here all night?' he asked compassionately, while scanning Claudette's recorded vitals. Her guard stood, then stretched her back out in an elongated yawn, nodding. The doctor replaced the charts, then made for Claudette to examine her face and throat. 'Say arrrh,' he instructed too perkily for Claudette, peering into her mouth with a pen torch taken from his top pocket. 'Good-_good_. All the oedema is going down nicely. How are you feeling?'

'Wadda you think, _Quack_?' Claudette sneered sarcastically, trying and failing to sit up. 'I'm starving - where's my breakfast?'

The doctor laughed, glancing over his shoulder to the guard, saying, 'She's a giggle, isn't she?' The guard shrugged a shoulder noncommittally, then yawned hard again. The doctor, taking pity, encouraged, 'Go get yourself a coffee, there's a machine down the hall -,' as he felt carefully under Claudette's chin, 'Claudette isn't going anywhere.' Claudette huffed another sneer at that comment. Not phased the doctor continued to rattle off his questions, 'Do you still have a headache - feel tight across the chest?' Claudette confirmed with a nod.

Her guard, seeing him busying himself with a stethoscope to listen to her heart, said, 'I think I will get a coffee - I'll be back in a minute.'

'Oakee-dokee,' he said, listening intently to Claudette's crackling lungs, then added, almost in the same breath, 'Deep breath for me please, Claudette.' She breathed in awkwardly, still sore. 'Aaaand one more.' Again she obeyed. 'Humm. Yes, yes,' he pondered thoughtfully, slipping the stethoscope around his neck again as the door closed softly behind the guard. 'My main concern is for secondary drowning, Claudette.' She quirked her lips, seemingly not caring. Her apathy was to be short lived.

'You see -,' Pelant went on, snapped his hand over her mouth, and pushed down hard, then grabbed a pillow to smother her. Wide-eyed but in pitch darkness, Claudette thrashed violently, her restraints rattled and her muffled screams sexually excited Pelant. Her desperate waning squeals and futile writhing only made him push harder onto her airways. Suffocation, Claudette was to learn, was an excruciating, terrifying way to die, more so when a self-proclaimed executioner is demanding your death.

While she struggled to save herself, flailing her free hand to scratch at her assailant, he explained matter-of-factly, 'It's not uncommon after such a close call to have a relapse or for your heart to give out after such a _shocking _trauma.' Her mind scrambled with confusion, life flashbacks and insisted painfully on air which her lungs couldn't provide.

Claudette put up one last effort in her final death throes to beat him off but it was to no avail, and began to lose consciousness. Her mortal panic and resistance gave way to acceptance of her sentence into damnation. 'It won't hurt for much longer, Claudette, don't fight it,' he whispered lullaby-soft, watching the heart monitor closely as she twitched, then went limp.

Pelant waited till the last erratic beat became barely a wiggling green line. Once he was sure she was gone, he lifted the pillow, and placed it back under her head. 'There-there,' he cooed, closing her mouth and lifeless eyes with a sweep of his palm as if he was tucking her up for the night. He straightened her hair and sheets, then turned down the sound of the alarm on the monitor. With one last look at her as if she were sleeping, he left the room.

Walking down the corridor, he stripped off his stolen coat and stethoscope, and stuffed them in the nearest disposal bin. Passing the janitors cupboard, he nudged open the door to grab his bike helmet off a shelf, and put it on as he trotted down the back stairs and away. Not till he was sitting astride his bike did he remove his latex gloves, and tuck them into his pocket. With a powerful throaty rev of the engine, he was gone.

Sipping her steaming coffee, the guard peered in through the window in the door, seeing Claudette was fast asleep again. She changed her mind about going in, and went to call the prison to find out when her relief was coming.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Bryansk Oblast**

**Pochep**

**Western Russia**

Nikolay reached blindly for his alarm clock, and hit the off switch so hard the digital clock tumbled to the floor, he groaned with his lingering fatigue. Flicking the blanket off his body, he sat up slowly, rubbing his clouded eyes, but cussed sharply when his warm feet hit the icy lino. He stretched high, then, when he brought his arms back down from the chilled air, he performed his daily ritual. With gentle fingers he felt his throat, neck, then along his clavicles - measuring silently. He sighed, opening a pot of pills, shook two out, and threw them down his throat, dry. Grimacing as he swallowed them, and picking up a pack of cigarettes on the nightstand, he lit one. Taking a long draw, he stood, and walked to his small window.

Ripping the shabby floral curtains aside, he rubbed the icy condensation off the pane to look outside. It was a bright day: a blue sky shrouded the brand new factory he worked at half a mile away, which dominated his view. But the golden sun and blue sky were deceptive; it was a frosty morning again. Contemplating his place of toil, he took another very long drag on the filter, and blew out the smoke loudly. He saw people were already hurrying along the sidewalk below: rushing to get to the factory before their shifts started. Some comrades were returning to his block after finishing the nightshift; alighting the company buses that ran up and down his street every half hour, day and night. The armed train tracks that led straight into the factory slammed passed his apartment block, and delivered, right into the heart of the factory, its purpose. The facility had just opened; built for 140 million German Euros to dispose of substances which were no longer morally required by, the so called, Superpowers.

The frosted grey slabs of concrete, bland uniform streets, rusting smoky vehicles, and hundreds of nameless faces with no colour to be had anywhere, depressed him.

He longed for the green meadows of his childhood in Belarus, not this smoking concrete austere facade. He pined for a warm house with a private bathroom and a garden. He yearned to see a cow or horse rather than a bus or car. And his body ached for heat: a sun that didn't deceive but delivered. But the money that could give all that was hard to come by. After his rent and utilities were paid he barely had enough left to pay for his mind-numbing vodka and cigarettes. He knew he was luckier than most though: he had smoky car; an old slow, second-hand computer: his lifeline to another world - the _other _world, a passport, and a plan.

Turning thirty two today, Nikolay returned to his bed, and en route flicked on his computer. It took so long to load up he automatically wrapped himself in a robe, and went for his shower and shave. When he returned, rubbing his hair dry with a threadbare grey towel, he noted he had three emails. Recognising two handles, he smiled, and opened each systematically. The first one was from his sister; wishing him a happy birthday and a vague promise to visit. The second was from his bank; a statement, he thought, and opened it. He lost his smile in shock when he saw the balance at the bottom of the screen. Making him jump the phone rang on the desk beside his clumpy computer, and still staring at the screen, he absently picked it up.

'Privyet,' he greeted.

An obviously digitally camouflaged voice set him on edge as it said, "_You have what you asked for, now you __**must **__deliver._" Nikolay snapped his mouth shut, and nodded, seeing the evidence on the grainy screen. "_The balance will be paid on receipt of the package. Two weeks from today._"

Nikolay whispered, reassuring, feeling his empty stomach toss violently, 'Da-da - two veeks - I _pro-_miss.'

"_Do. Not. Fail. Me…_"

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**A/N: ***gasp*** **Duck**, **Parker! What can Ange's Mom do to help the cause, or will she refuse to help her estranged daughter? Will Claudette's murder be discovered? And what has Nikolay promised to deliver the mystery caller? These and other questions shall be answered in the next unsettlements of, Pelant. All comments welcomed. Hugs, Lebxeb. XX


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: **All characters portrayed here are fictional. No infringement of rights intended. Bones & its characters are a product of Fox Inc. & not mine. No financial gain is received from this work of fiction.

**Summary: **Pelant is free, but the net is closing around him. Remember: "Nothing is what it seems…" - Seeley Booth.

**Rating: M (nearly)**

**Thanks: **to everyone that has left reviews and encouragements for me. For your patience and loyalty I'm posting two chapters in quick succession this week. Enjoy. **Tembo**: Wow. U humble me. Thx SVM. Thrilled UR enjoying this one! XX (PM not working) **Guest (7/9/12)**: LOL! Breathe, just breathe. Major Thx BTW. Hugs. **Long Beach State**: Yep, U got it. Thx VM4 popping in. **Jsboneslover**: LOL Careful what U wish 4... XX

**Pelant**

**Chapter XI**

**Booth & Bones' Home**

… Booth edged closer to Parker until he could see who was at the door. Parker stepped back, saying, 'Its only Doctor Saroyan, Dad…' Booth's heart started again, seeing her on the door step, but his stomach wrenched when he saw she was, and had been crying. That was probably why Parker had paled; he didn't know what to do with a weeping, clearly distressed woman, he surmised. However Booth thought something disastrous had happened either to her or Bones.

'It's ok, Park, go put the kettle on,' Booth relieved him softly. Parker hurried off, happy to leave his Dad to it. Cam lifted her head slightly to look at, an almost naked, Booth, then stepped over the threshold, and snapped her arms around him. Immediately he cuddled her back hard, whispering in her ear, 'What's happened?' Booth flicked the door closed with his finger tips, as she nuzzled into the crook of his neck, shaking her head slightly: not ready to answer him yet. Out of the corner of his eye, Parker watched Booth tenderly consoling her, while slowly eating his toast.

Cam felt guilty for her breakdown and for disturbing him and Parker but after what she'd done, Booth was the only one she knew that would understand. 'Come on, we can talk in the garden,' he offered, smiling, lifting her head gently to look at him. Cam sniffed, then dropped her bleary eyes downwards, noting he was now completely naked. The towel had dropped from between them during their embrace.

Wiping her cheeks, Cam half smiled, whispering, 'I feel a lot better now…' Booth looked down, then chuckled. He picked up the towel, and covered himself back up. 'Forgive me - I'm sorry for intruding. I just wanted to give you this…' Cam ferreted out a slip of paper, and handed it to him. Booth took it, realising it was her visitor slip to see Bones this afternoon, which completely confused him. Cam rattled on, trying to bite back her tears, and began to explain, 'I can't go - you go instead of me. Caroline has arranged it with someone she knows at the prison - Tony or something.' Then Cam went to leave, but Booth grabbed her hand, and held her fast.

'Cam, hey, Bones will be expecting you, she _wants _to see you,' Booth reminded, but saw Cam's eyes glaze again.

'I know, Seeley, but I _can't, _not today,' she hedged softly, dropping her eyes. Booth's gut was lurching which signalled there was much more going on with Cam than she was willing to divulge. Booth took control, and pulled her inside, saying, 'Come on - lets take a walk 'round the yard.' Cam stared into his eyes for a seconds, deliberating, then followed. Parker threw her a sweet smile as they walked out into the back yard to talk privately.

The sun was already promising a bleaching hot day ahead and singeing the lawns into near submission as they walked over them towards a large beech tree. Underneath, in its dappled shade, they sat on the warm wooden bench. 'What's going on with you, Cam - something's up? You're drinking too much and _crying_, you look like you've seen a fucking ghost and now you don't wanna see Bones - you're scaring me.'

'I'm sorry, Seeley -,' Cam bleated, taking out a Kleenex from her clutch, and wiped her eyes and nose, 'you're right - I'm losing it.'

'You can't, we _need _you - _Bones _needs you,' he insisted passionately.

She nodded, and took a deep breath, before she admitted, 'I did something yesterday - I took a huge risk.' Cam swallowed, stared him in the eye, as she confessed, 'I nearly murdered someone - _literally_, deliberately.'

Booth's eyes widened in shock, and challenged, 'What? _Why_?'

'To get evidence. I can't tell you the ins and outs, because I made someone a promise. But what scares the _crap _out of me is that I nearly allowed them die. I wanted them to suffer and _die_,' she sneered, recalling the moment of absolute power and wrath she felt watching Claudette struggle to breathe. Then Cam lost those emotions, replacing them with an anguished, 'Now I know what I'm capable of - its terrifying. I held their miserable life in my hands, Seeley,' she said, staring at her palms. 'But I _very _nearly walked away.'

'I see,' Booth said thoughtfully, sitting back. 'But they didn't die.' Cam shook her hanging head to confirm. 'Did it work - did you get the evidence you wanted?' She nodded a fraction, clearly riddled with remorse, guilt and self-loathing. 'Well, then, it was for the greater good. You just skimmed the line then.'

Cam corrected sharply, 'No, I _crossed _it, Seeley. I've been spouting my mantra that we should do everything by the book and _insisting _on it, but this makes me an ugly, weak hypocrite, doesn't it?'

'Maybe - in your eyes, but not in mine…' Cam looked over her should to him, Booth leant forwards to mimic her position, as he added, 'Look - you know I've been where you are, Cam.' She nodded solemnly, and that was why she came to him and no one else because he would be able to sympathise. 'I understand what you're feeling and you're scared of what you're capable of given a set of circumstances. But you _didn't _let them die, did you?' Cam shook her head, feeling his empathetic palm gently rub her back. 'That's your saving grace and what you should cling on to. You have a heart of gold, Cam. You're a _fierce _and true friend, and Bones and me, we owe you _so _much - we all do. I don't want to know what you did but I can see the price you've paid is very high.' Cam nodded, wiping her brimming eyes again. 'Don't beat ya self up over this - move on. Get your head _back _in the game and walk the right side of the line again.' Booth eased her to sit back to the bench, hugging her to his flank. She sunk into his warm flesh, and took a few moments to enjoy the comfort he gave her.

'Thanks, Seeley. I just needed to tell someone.' Understanding that completely, he nodded, and smiled affectionately. 'You've been putting out fires everywhere this week - first Sweets and Tempe, now me. How are you holdin' up?'

'Ohh. Y'know - hanging in there,' he obfuscated professionally, treating her to a handsome smile this time. 'Here - take this back. Go see her.' Cam grinned, but shook her head.

'No. When I said I can't its not because I don't want to visit - its because it's too soon,' she said cryptically. Booth cocked an intrigued brow, but she refused to elaborate. Just then Parker came bounding into the garden, waving a postcard, while slopping coffee out of the cup.

'Its from New _Zealand_!' he bellowed excitedly, coming to a sliding halt, then handed Cam the mug with just a mouthful of coffee left in it. She snorted her amusement, looking into the virtually empty mug, then swigged the drabs. He sat down next to them, and showed them the picture of Milford Sound with snow capped peaks in the background.

'Where was it sent from, Park?'

He ummed, then peered at the postmark, reading, 'Southampton, England,' then screwed his nose up, not understanding. 'So does this mean Christine and Max aren't in New Zealand but in England now?'

Booth shrugged his shoulder, as he said brightly, 'My guess is as good as yours, Park...'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! **

**HQ of Choy P'ang Inc.**

**Beijing**

**China**

… 'Hello, Angela. How's long has it been - twelve years?' she asked, scrutinizing Ange carefully.

'Eleven,' Ange corrected gently, but not wanting to dwell changed the subject quickly, 'You're looking well and that's a _great _view.' She wafted her hand towards it.

Her mother stood, stubbed out her cigarette, saying with a wry smile, 'Yes, that was an awkward question, wasn't it? You've always shied away from the tricky ones.' Ange dropped a hip just as she added perfunctorily, 'How's your _father_?'

'He's very well - on tour.' She saw her mother nod slowly, then amble around the desk towards a couch, elegantly inviting her towards it too. Ange settled herself, placing the briefcase on the small coffee table. 'He sends his regards.' Her mother laughed out loud, knowing that was very unlikely.

'I _bet _he does,' she remarked, loading her reply with heavy sarcasm once her chuckles had died down. 'And you're a mother yourself now. Are you enjoying being a mother?'

'Yes, Mom, I am,' she said curtly. 'Michael, his name is _Michael _and my husband's is _Jack_,' she reminded rudely, thinking she'd forgotten or couldn't be bothered to remember.

'Oh. Dear,' her mother sighed forlornly, crossing her perfectly toned legs. 'Are we going to start spitting _venom _before we've had tea?'

Ange wilted. 'I'm sorry. Mom, that was out of order.' She realised she'd let her anxiousness about seeing her again taint their overdue reunion. Not to mention her residual anger at her leaving her to return to China for her illustrious career.

'On the contrary, it was a perfectly legitimate comment to make - I'm notorious for forgetting names.' Ange heard a door being knocked to her right, and looked to see who had entered. An immaculately dressed, strikingly good looking man in a white coat with brass buttons wheeled in the trolley, and began to set up tea and cake on the table ahead of them; which put their difficult conversation on pause. 'Thank you, Leo - that'll be all.' Leo left with bow and a humble smile, practically backing out of the room as if her mother was royalty. Her mother began to pour, as she offered an olive branch, flicking her eyes to Ange's, 'Shall we start again on another riff?' Ange grinned at the musical reference, nodded to accept her branch, and relaxed. 'Good. Now, firstly - motherhood suits you, Angela. You look healthy, happy and as _beautiful _as ever,' she offered generously. 'Jack is wealthy and a very intelligent man, I understand.'

'He is. Jack's a wonderful father and husband. But you already knew that - you've done you homework.'

Her mother grinned slightly. 'Of _course_,' she confirmed, handing her the cup and saucer. Ange took it, and put in directly on the table beside her briefcase. 'And Michael, he flourishes - excels at anything in particular?' she asked, then sipped her tea.

'Ha! Mom, he's not _two _yet.'

'You showed a flare for art at _one_, Angela.'

'_Finger _painting, Mom.'

Her mother brushed away her belittling of her talents with a wave of her manicured hand. 'Nonetheless…' she said knowledgably. 'So, pleasantries out of the way - let's get to the reason for your surprise visit.' Ange opened her mouth, and was about to explain when her mother put her on pause with, 'You have a dear friend in very _serious _trouble, a murdering genius psychopath on the loose and you need a way into a _particular _factory here in China.' Ange snapped her mouth shut. 'You wish to purchase _two _macro chips that they produce and take them back to the US. However, you've already contacted the factory in question and been refused access to them.' Stunned by her uncanny insight, Ange nodded. 'So you've come here to see if your Mother, if only in name, can assist you in procuring them.'

'Exactly, yes. Can you?'

'Have you lost your fear of heights by any chance?' Ange snagged her head back, utterly confused by her out-of-the-blue, irrelevant question.

'Yes, sort of - why?' Carefully replacing her tea cup on the saucer, Angela's mother stood. Ange didn't know why but she stood too, picking up her briefcase.

'Follow me,' she instructed coolly, then walked towards the elevator again. Moments later the gold doors opened to an electric blue helicopter on the helipad. Ange was buffeted by the hurricane of wind and noise churned up by spinning rotor blades, and looked astounded at her mother. She smiled brightly, holding her hand out to help her towards the open door of the helicopter. Getting her answer, Ange cracked an overdue smile back, and took hold of her hand tightly as any nervous child would…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Municipal Hospital**

**Lucknow**

**Uttar Pradesh**

**Northern India**

Maria watched nervously with Christine in her arms from the control room as Max was slowly fed through the MRI machine on his back. She saw him flinch as the thudding drone of magnets in the old MRI scanner began to accelerate. She noted she flinched too, as scared as he was. 'Hold as still as you can, Mr Johnson,' one of the techs instructed through the intercom. Maria changed her weight from one foot to the other, just as eager for it to be over as Max clearly was.

The technicians stared at the dissected images of Max's lower abdomen as they came up on the screens, and muttered to themselves, occasionally pointing to the images, and circling highlighted sections with pen tips. She twitched, looking to Max with his eyes closed, rigid, then back to the screens. Noting her anxiousness, the white-coated consultant turned to her with a smile. 'Do you see here?' She stepped forwards, and nodded to where he was pointing. 'This looks _very _good, Mrs Johnson. From the previous MRI results you supplied I can see vast improvements.'

'That's a _huge _relief. Thank you. I need you to send these scans to this address - now. Can you do that from here?' She handed him a piece of paper with her clinics email address on. He nodded solemnly, and pocketed the piece of paper. She saw him put the paper away, but insisted by taking his forearm, and narrowed her eyes at him, as she said, 'No, _now_. Mr Vichventa.'

'Now?' he asked for clarification, looking confused by her insistence.

'Yes, _right _now.' He waggled his head, and sat down at a computer screen, then began to type in the address. As soon as he had Maria took the paper back, and tucked it away again. She looked back to Max as the, seemingly endless and noisy, scan finished, and a nurse re-entered the chamber to assist him. As Max stood, he looked up to her, and tentatively put his thumb up. Maria knew he was asking her a question, so she replied with a solid smile, and a thumbs-up of her own. She saw him visibly relax his shoulders, then make his way into the viewing room. Meanwhile Mr Vichventa continued to upload the scans to the address he'd been given. The techs left the room after Mr Vichventa waved them out officiously. They were surprised to be dismissed but didn't comment. Max came in with a bounce in his step a few moments later. Immediately as he did, Maria pecked his cheek with a muwha sound, then asked, 'Ok?'

'Nothin' to it,' he beamed, dismissing how anxious he'd been. But she knew he'd been terrified of the scan and more so by its conclusions. Max immediately took Christine from her arms, and sat down next to the Mr Vichventa. He shot him a smile, then turned on the stool to face him properly.

'It all looks very good, Mr Johnson - _big _improvements,' he confirmed.

While Max cooed and snuffled into Christine's chest, making her chuckle, he said, 'I'd like you to erase that scan from your records and the email - do you understand?' Mr Vichventa nodded, seeing Mrs Johnson flicking off notes from a huge wad of cash. 'One more thing - I need to use your cell phone.' Without question, he handed it directly to Max, still watching Maria thumb the notes as she counted out the agreed amount for his silence and discretion. Max tapped in a number with his index finger, then passed it to him. Mr Vichventa picked it up, and listened to the voice at the other end.

'Ok. Yes. I agree fully… Of _course_.' Mr Vichventa scribbled down a few long words on a pad, and underlined them. 'No problem. Yes, ok. Thank you,' he answered, then handed the phone to Maria, then put his bribe away. Max grinned charmingly, as she stared into his eyes, as she too listened now. Max saw her nod, then she started to chatter away in her soft Mexican accent. Max brightened further when she stepped closer, and rubbed affectionately across his shoulders with her palm. Maria ended the call with a sweet smile dripping from her lips, then deleted the record of the call from Vichventa's cell. She handed it back to him, with a thank you.

Maria put on her best smile, as she said to Max, 'He wants you to have one more round of chemo - just to make _absolutely _sure.' Max nodded, but was hugely disappointed. She saw his shoulders sag, so came down to his level, and stroked his face tenderly, knowing he'd been praying he didn't have to go through that again. '_Please _don't be disheartened, Darling. He was really, _really _pleased with the results,' she reassured sweetly, resting her brow on his. 'He wants us to wait another two weeks though. But in the mean time Mr Vichventa is going to get you pills to take daily.' She nodded towards him to go off and get the prescription filled. Vichventa took the hint, and left them alone.

'Will it make me sick? You know I _hate _being sick,' he reminded, grimacing at the thought.

'I know,' she said compassionately. 'No - there are very few side effects.' She brushed her lips across his cheek again, as she whispered, 'You were so scared in there weren't you?' Max nodded against her brow, feeling his eyes brim with her empathy. 'I was scared for you too,' she admitted. Placing soft, hesitant kisses over his cheek at tiny intervals, she reached his lips, where she breathed, 'I want you well, Max.'

'I'm tryin',' he said softly, feeling the gentle heat of her lips a fraction from his, but resisted the open invitation and temptation. She smiled at his humour, knowing he was confused and conflicted about what to do. He clearly wanted to kiss her but something was holding him back from it. Although she was disappointed, she didn't want to put anymore pressure on him than he was already under.

'He wants you to rest though - _really _rest. We need to rethink our travel plans to the next destination. We should get there quickly.' He nodded slowly, agreeing with her instruction and the clinical advice. Pleased he was agreeing, she smiled again, then leant back, to look into his sparkling eyes. Max swallowed hard, mirroring her smile nervously, wondering if he would get another opportunity to kiss her. He didn't have much time to ponder that because Vichventa came it, rattling the pills. Maria stood as he handed them to her to take care of them.

'That's an extra four hundred,' he informed with a confident smile. Maria looked to Max who nodded imperceptibly, while tickling Christine's belly. She chuckled wildly again, kicking her legs which caught Vichventa's attention. 'She's very pretty and strong. How old is she?' Vichventa was no fool, he knew these people were not the child's parents but wasn't going to spoil his deal by causing a scene or accusing them of kidnap.

'Three months - nearly four.'

'Oh. Must be time for her injections then.' Maria and Max looked at each other, suddenly losing their smiles. Seeing their expressions, he reminded, 'You know, mumps, measles and rubella - MMR? I can administer them if you'd like, tetanus and polio too…'

'How much?' Maria asked, suspicious of his exorbitant price list already. Vichventa made a quick calculation with yet another waggle of his head.

'Two hundred.'

'One fifty,' Maria shot back, making Max grin harder at Christine. Vichventa smiled, then put his hand out to receive the cash...

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! **

**MIT**

**Cambridge**

**Massachusetts**

'Professor Liskov?' Shaw called out, rushing to catch up with her as she power walked towards the lecture hall. 'Professor _Liskov_?'

'Can't stop - I'm late!' she shouted over her shoulder, not slowing down. Shaw started to run, bouncing off a sea of meandering people that filled the corridor and every available space. 'Please, just one minute of your time!' Liskov ignored her completely this time.

Shaw yelled over everyone's heads, in a last desperate attempt to get her to stop, knowing she wasn't going to get to her before she disappeared, 'Its about _Christopher_!' Liskov came to an abrupt standstill, the students all parted as she turned, with narrowed eyes. Panting, Shaw slowed down, then made her way through the partially curious throngs that were watching the Turin Award winner closely.

'Who are you?'

'I'd rather not say out here. But I need to talk to you _privately_.' Liskov looked at her bulky watch with a sigh, quirking her lips.

'This way,' she instructed bluntly, and started powering off again, bouncing along the corridor in her leopard skin Crocs. Shaw kept close to her this time, and saw the people part like the Red Sea for her. Liskov suddenly opened a door to their right, looked around the room, to find three people studying. 'Get _out _- I need this room!' she barked at them. Instantly they grabbed their books, and left the room without protest. Shaw smiled pleasantly at them as they were wafted out of the room by Liskov as if they were annoying gnats. She slammed the door behind them, and spun on Shaw, saying, 'Who are you?'

Shaw shook her head, not going to reveal that. 'Christopher Pelant was one of your students, I believe?' She noted the professor had only put make up on her left eye today and a single stud in her right lobe.

'Yes. My _best _student ever - well, to date anyway,' she confirmed, sitting up on a desk, then started swinging her legs freely like a five year old would. 'He turned out a bit of a disappointment actually. Does he owe you money - are you pregnant or one of his cyber victims?'

'No, _no_, and no. I want to know if you were aware of his mistrust of our government, and had any idea where that could have stemmed from?'

'There's a fine line between genius and madness. Christopher, although exceptionally gifted and remarkably logical, became increasingly paranoid and distrustful of anyone with power or influence. He had a girlfriend he was very keen on who dispatched him for another _hipper _student in his third year here. Maybe that was a catalyst. I can only speculate.'

'Do you recall her name?' Liskov, snorted, and shook her head.

'I think she _may _have been an overseas student, blonde, pretty, bright - like most here. I believe she was studying chemical engineering. That's as much as I recall. Ask Professor Wong, he might remember her.'

'Excellent - I will, thank you. One last question, this is a long shot but - did Pelant have any _private _transport you can recall?'

Liskov closed one eye as she rattled off, 'BAN898641.'

'Excuse me?'

'I remember strings of numbers, lines of code, it's a gift - curse,' she explained flippantly, waving her hand over the top of her unkempt hair. Shaw quickly wrote that down on her note pad. 'He used to ride a motorcycle with that plate. I saw him out on it a couple of times. _Don't _ask me the make, colour or model - but that _was _the licence plate,' she confirmed resolutely. 'Now, I must go.' She slipped off the table, and shot out the door before _thank you _had left Shaw's lips.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Private Medical Facility**

Tasmin opened her eyes, hearing her door open, expecting a nurse to come in but it was two suited men, with pleasant smiles for her.

'Hello, Tasmin. I'm Temperance Brennan's lawyer Mr…'

Tasmin interrupted, 'Mr Trope?' He nodded, taking a seat beside her bed. She part smiled as she tried to sit up, but winced as her stitches pulled.

'Relax, Tasmin. Lay back.' She did gingerly. 'This is one of her close friends too.'

Sweets stepped forward, and shook her hand gently. 'I'm Lance Sweets.' Tasmin lost her smile for a compassionate pout.

'Oooh. Temps told me your girlfriend got blown up and died. She was really sad about that - she cried a lot.' Sweets nodded, gritting his jaw. 'I'm sorry too.'

'Thank you, Tasmin.' Sweets sat down in the chair by the window, quietly observing Tasmin as Trope opened his briefcase to retrieve Bones' letter. He already realised she was too trusting of strangers and hadn't asked to see ID to confirm who they were.

'Temps has written you a letter and asked if I would read it to you - is that ok?' Tasmin nodded, relieved he was going to, and excited to receive mail.

'Before you do, can I ask a question?'

Sweets sat forwards, and encouraged her to with, 'Of _course_, Tasmin.'

'I was really out of it when they brought me here,' she said, then whispered, 'Its really lovely in here, the foods _great _and everything. The nurses are really gentle but, but I _can't _pay for it,' she wined, obviously very worried. Sweets grinned, flicking his eyes to Trope.

Trope patted her hand, explaining, 'Don't worry about that - your medical bills are covered. Just relax and get well, ok?' She looked to Sweets for confirmation, he gave it with a delicate nod. Tasmin relaxed completely now.

'That's _fucking _amazing - but I have to go back to jail when I'm better.'

'Well, lets see what we can do about that. Let me read you this letter.' Tasmin smiled, flaring her eyes at Trope. He cleared his throat, and began to read Bones' letter.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! **

**Pelant's Street**

**A Neighbours Residence Opposite**

**Bedroom**

**Surveillance Team II**

Finally seeing something, and choking on his mouthful of last nights cold pizza, Agent Franks informed with some excitement, 'Hey, Strand, we've got movement - _Pelant_-shaped heat source.' He stared hard through his infra-red binoculars trained on the house across the street. 'He's back…'

'Where did it originate?'

'Kitchen - he just appeared out of thin air. Trap door - cellar?' he proffered. Strand nodded, thinking that was the most plausible explanation. 'Are we still recording?'

'Yeah. Time, nine forty seven AM,' Strand said aloud, writing that fact down in their log. 'What's he doing now?'

'Making toast, by the look of it. _Second _heat source detected - kettle. And coffee…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Pelant's Residence**

**10.32AM**

Pelant, fresh from his shower, murder, late brunch and with another coffee steaming beside the Washington Post laid open on his lounge table, scanned the upcoming charity events section. In red felt tip he precisely circled the name Assistant Director Thomas. Then he turned the large page to read the classified ads. He rung two ads before his paused when his doorbell chimed.

Getting up, he opened the door with a smile. 'Morning,' the UPS man greeted, handing him a long roll tube, which he took, and tucked under his armpit. 'Sign here, please.'

Pelant took his faux pen, and while signing his name in the box in the little screen, looked around the street. He saw one of his _biographers_, sitting directly opposite in his Lexus across the street. 'Arr. I've been expecting these,' Pelant purred, handing back the digital mail recorder to the UPS man.

'Have a good day!' He smiled pleasantly, returning to his van. His biographer looked over to him, and smiled casually. Pelant acknowledged him with his own brash smile, and a wave of the tube that had just been delivered, then closed the door. Opening the tube with a pop, he slid out the rolls of building plans, and spread them out over the table with a sense of mounting excitement broiling in his stomach.

'Humm,' Pelant purred. 'Excellent. The Lever Bros. Estate. I do _love _the Public Records Office…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! **

**Correctional Facility & Remand Centre**

**3PM**

It didn't surprise Bones when she saw Booth through the glass in the visitor room waiting for her and not Cam. She was disappointed but grew ever more concerned for her friend because she'd backed out from coming to see her. Which confirmed her suspicions about what Cam had done to Claudette. But what did surprise her was that Booth wasn't alone. He'd brought Parker with him and suddenly felt deep conflicting emotions about that. She didn't think it right that Booth had brought him to such a place or to see her this way. She couldn't imagine either that Rebecca would've agreed to allow him to come to visit her. However, she was delighted to see him with Booth, as despite the circumstances, Booth was trying to keep his life as normal as possible. She remembered Booth saying once, not so long ago, that he didn't want their lives to change and she thought this was one way he was ensuring that.

At the last door before entering the room, Bones made a gentle plea to her guard, 'Please, could you remove my handcuffs before I enter. There's a young man in there I don't want to upset any further.' The guard looked into the room, then back into her eyes, then compassionately removed her cuffs, before opening the door. 'Thank you,' she said, and walked in.

Booth was on his feet immediately, shortly followed by a beaming Parker, who didn't looked phased by his surrounding at all. Bones smiled at the him, feeling her eyes blister. To her joy Parker snapped himself around her, and squeezed her tight. All thoughts that this was a bad idea drifted off into the ether, feeling his deeply affectionate embrace swell her heart to bursting. 'I've _missed _you,' he mumbled into her chest.

'And I you, Parker.' She kissed the top of his head, holding her lips to him, and squeezed a little tighter. Flicking her eyes to Booth, who was grinning like the cat that got the cream, and twitching, anxious to get his turn, she laughed. She waved him closer, realising Parker wasn't going to let go of her anytime soon. Booth embraced all of them in one enormous soul-ascending crush. Bones slowly rubbed her cheek against his, closing her eyes to wonderful sensation of being with most of her family.

'Can't breathe, Dad,' Parker muffled into Bones' chest in a sandwich between them. That made them all chuckle, and release one another. Booth smooched her lips, just before he stepped back. But Parker held her hand now, and waited till she sat down, then propped himself comfortably on her lap. She slipped her arms around his waist from behind, unable to lose her smile as they all glanced to one another.

'No school today, Parker?'

He shook his head, smiling cheerfully. 'It's the summer vacation now, Bones. I've got ten days with you and Dad remember - then the rest with Mom?'

'Yes, of course.' Bones recalled the plans they'd made for his vacation visit but now she was incarcerated those plans were scuppered. She just hoped Booth would make the best it for him.

Booth pulled a chair up to sit close, and caressed her shoulders, as he explained, 'Cam was busy today. She sends her apologies but gave us her pass.' Bones lost her smile a little, staring into his eyes, and nodded slowly. Booth saw in them that she must have known why, which surprised him but he didn't comment.

'I'll catch up with her another time, no doubt,' she said, then, 'Could you give her this letter,' handing it to Booth from her pocket. He tucked it away safe in his leather jacket, promising he would. Bones looked back to Parker who was staring at her marked, but healing, face.

'Dad says you've had a rough time in here. I hope they look a lot _worse _than you.' Bones sniggered, glancing to Booth, and flushing.

'They do, Parker,' she assured, kissing his cheek. Parker flared his impressed eyes at Booth, blushing at receiving another sweet kiss. Then Bones quickly changed the subject, seeing a bag they'd brought with them on the table, 'What's in the bag?'

Parker practically vibrated, and ripped the bag from the table, and dived into it, whipping out the items, announcing proudly, 'Dad brought things you need, like phone cards; tobacco, soft toilet roll, writing paper, stamps,' he droned the boring things, then brightened, as he gushed excitedly, 'I brought you the _good _stuff, _Chocolate, _the family picture I made of all of us from Christine's mobile…' As he said that, and placed it on the table along with the other items, Bones glanced to Booth, feeling her eyes water again. She was deeply touched and moved by his thoughtfulness, she barely held herself together. Biting her bottom lip, she looked to Booth who was as proud as punch with his son. Behind Parker's back they kissed tenderly several precious times. 'Plums and a couple of mandarins, bag of fizzing sour candy,' Parker blustered on, missing their loving exchange. Bones knew that last item was for him though but didn't comment, only snorted her amusement. 'A Spiderman comic, pack of cards, _aaand _this…'

'Oh! _Another _postcard,' Bones said jubilantly. Parker nodded fast, handing it to her. 'Milford Sound, New Zealand.' Bones looked over the card with a critical eye, and smiled at Booth who still hadn't lost his.

Parker ripped open the bag of sour candy, and stuffed a few in his mouth, mumbling, 'It came this morning. Granddad Max is pretty cool looking after Christine for us. But I'm a bit annoyed _really_.' Bones cocked a brow at that remark. 'Well, she's jet-setting all over the world - she's _major _lucky.'

'That's true but what would you say if I promise you when I get out of here we all take a trip somewhere?'

'I'd say, _righteous!_' Parker gushed, wiggling on her lap, chomping down more sour jellies. 'Can we, Dad?' Booth nodded, while idly massaging Bones' nape just in her hairline, knowing she loved it when he did that. 'You must miss her _so _bad, Bones,' Parker said with a cute sticky-lipped pout. She felt Booth stop caressing suddenly at his statement, and knew he was concerned for her emotional control. 'I miss hearing her giggle - she does _love _to giggle.'

Bones rested her chin on Parker's shoulder, and nodded, saying reflectively, 'Yes, I do, Parker, and her sweet scent, holding her - breast feeding her - I'm starting to fear she'll forget me - all of us…' Sometimes her honesty was too much for Booth to bare, and his heart tore right down the middle hearing her soft laments.

Parker thought quickly. 'But not the diaper changing though, I bet.'

'Yes, Parker, believe it or not, even changing her soiled diapers,' she said with a watery smile for him. Seeing and feeling that he'd made her unhappy, Parker popped a sour fizzing candy in her mouth without warning, hoping to cheer her back up. 'G'urgh. Oh. My. _God_. That's re-_volting_!' she gagged, making Parker laugh hard and long. Booth snorted his amusement too, seeing her look for somewhere to spit it out. 'Is this candy toxic _- _safe to _ingest?_'

'Haa! Wait, it gets better when you get to the sweet bit.'

'I'd rather not.' Politely Bones picked it out of her mouth, handing it to Booth to do something with. He grinned charmingly, as he popped it into his mouth, and chewed it. She rolled her eyes at him, reaching for one of the chocolate bars, and snapped some off, changing the subject, 'The Governor came to see me this morning. The cell is my own from now on - she _insisted_. And she's replaced Tasmin's bed with a desk and chair.' Booth's brows shot up to his hairline, clearly thrilled about that. Parker flicked open the comic, and began to read, getting engrossed quickly. 'And I slept extremely well last night.' Booth knew why too, and began again to caress her nape. Popping a cube of chocolate into her mouth, she let it melt on her tongue, while staring into Booth's eyes, knowing exactly what he was thinking and probably recalling. With Parker distracted, Bones nuzzled her cryptic question into Booth's ear, remembering he hadn't found relief during that fretful encounter, 'You didn't sleep as well as me, did you?'

Booth kissed her cheek, and again towards her lips, purring sultrily against them, 'Don't worry - I did sleep, knowing you were gonna be out like a light.'

Bones gently tickled the tip of her nose around his cheek, breathing him in indulgently, then suddenly she snapped her head back. 'Have you been using my shower foam?' she accused, clearly affronted.

Booth laughed, seeing the near outrage on her face, and when Parker confirmed it with, 'Yep - tons of it, Bones!' barely looking up from the comic, turning a page.

She bristled, 'W'hell, _really.._.' Sniggering, Booth nuzzled her neck, peppering her throat with more soft kisses, hoping for forgiveness.

'I like the way it makes me smell of you, _and_, feel my skin, its _sooo _soft,' he awed, offering her his forearm to test. Parker turned his head slowly to look at his Dad, while Bones' jaw hung slightly. They both thought he had clearly crossed a line into madness. Booth hid his arm again, and twitched, clearing his throat. 'Hey, it's not like I'm wearing your _underwear _or something - it just a _bit _of shower cream,' he defended. Bones began to laugh hard with the image of him walking around in her underwear prancing about in her brain. It was the men's turn to look at her as if she'd gone insane.

Just then, as they realised why she was laughing and began to themselves, the door behind them opened. The guard said, 'Time to go.' Their laughter seeped away, as did their smiles, knowing they were going to be separated yet again. That half an hour had been so short and ended so abruptly, it felt unbelievably cruel.

Parker quickly got up, and began to fill her bag of treats again, while Booth held her tight, whispering, 'I love you. I'll see you next week, ok?' She nodded, holding onto him for as long as she could.

'I love you too,' she said back, trying to smile, and releasing him slowly. 'Thanks for coming. I'll call when I can,' she assured, having her cuffs put back on. Parker handed her the bag, seeing her cuffed, and slipped his eyes north to meet her smile coming down. 'I love you too, Parker.' She lent down, and kissed his cheek. 'Give my best wishes to your Mom. And tell her thank you for letting you come.' Booth hadn't told Rebecca and had sworn Parker to secrecy about their visit, knowing she would have refused his request even though Parker insisted on coming.

'It was such a _treat _to see you. Enjoy your holidays together.' Nodding, Parker's chin started to waggle, so Booth slipped his arm over his shoulder, and held him close to his side. Parker tried to stave off his tears, but one escaped. Bones tilted her head in sympathy for him. 'Bye.' With one last aching look into Booth's eyes, she was lead away.

Parker looked up to Booth, pining sadly, 'Oooh. Dad…' Then he hugged him close, not only to comfort himself but his father too.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Chengdu International Airport**

**China**

Maria rolled her head on the headrest to look at Max as they hurtled down the runway at full reverse throttle. The plane slowed, the engines relaxed, then they began to sedately taxi to the terminal. Offering her his hand, he grinned hard, still with his eyes closed, and said, 'Marco.'

'Polo,' Maria retorted, taking his offered hand, and squeezed it...

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**A/N:** What's the beast up to now? Will AD Thomas be Pelant's next target or will it be Hodgins? _Another _postcard - what's all that about? Will Ange's Mom turn out to be a help or a hindrance? How long will it be until Booth cracks under the strain? Find out in the next instalments of, **Pelant **- coming very soon. All reviews humbly received. Hugs, Lebxeb. XX


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: **All characters portrayed here are fictional. No infringement of rights intended. Bones & its characters are a product of Fox Inc. & not mine. No financial gain is received from this work of fiction.

**Summary: **Pelant is free but the evidence against him is mounting - will it be enough though? "Nothing is what it seems…" - Seeley Booth.

**Rating: M **

**Thanks: **to all you gracious reviewers for the encouragement. Bless U.

**Pelant**

**Chapter XII**

**Jeffersonian Forensic Labs**

**Jack Hodgins Lab**

**9.07AM**

Cam clipped quickly along the corridor, and poked her head around Jack's door, tapping the frame with her ring. 'Jack…' she summoned, motioning with her head for him to follow her. He looked up from his Petri dish, and just caught her disappearing again. He rushed off in pursuit of her efficient swinging hips. He saw her slip into her office, and hold the door open until he came in. She let it close, then pointed to her computer screen. Jack saw it showed three hairs from two different books taken from the pages of Ethan Sawyer's personal library in the psychiatric unit. 'They match the ones found in Doctor Brennan's trunk. The FBI labs have just sent over the results.'

'That's _brilliant _news!' he gushed, patting her back. 'Any of Pelant's yet or something to prove he was there?' Cam shook her head, and sat down at her desk, bringing up another piece of evidence. 'What's this?'

'Before Ange left she asked me to contact every person Doctor Brennan had emailed in the last year and gave me all her passwords. Tempe wrote Ange a comprehensive list of names and the subject matter. As far as I can tell, and from memory, she didn't miss a single name.' Jack blew out a whistle, astonished.

'Wow. Oooh, to have an eidetic memory, eh?'

Cam nodded, explaining, 'Look, three emails to one colleague, she _insisted _she'd exchanged messages with, had been deleted from her files and computer memory. She assured Mr Trope she didn't delete them. But guess what? The _receiver _has copies - one, is a _hard _copy - its dated and he's faxed me a copy and bringing in the original this afternoon.' Jack grinned, fist-pumping in a reserved but jubilant way. 'Even before Pelant killed Inger Johannsen, or Tempe consulted with Sawyer about him she was corresponding with a colleague about writing a joint paper on the Noanaha tribe of western Colombia and their use of curare to tip their arrows.'

'So why hasn't this guy come forward before?'

'_Beee-cause _he's been in the Colombian rainforest with Noanaha and Embera tribes for the last _ten _months - completely out of contact. He wanted to bring back a sample of the chondrodendron tomentosum they used and distil it himself using his learned techniques. But Doctor Zach Gonzalez told her if he didn't return in three months to source her own supply.'

'Gonzalez was incognito and out of touch so Bren asked me for the specimen.'

'Exactly. It's not enough to get the charges dropped but Shaw and Flynn are working on that as we speak…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**FBI Interview Room**

**Hoover Building**

Behind the one way glass Sweets, on his second day back in the field, watched a sweaty, clearly nervous male nurse from the psychiatric unit waiting to be informally interviewed. Shaw stood beside him, watching him closely too. George Cook, with male pattern baldness, a pot belly and stubble, kept running his fingers through hair he'd lost a few years ago in a weird tic.

'He's clearly nervous. We've shut off the AirCon - hopefully he'll take the bait, so to speak.'

Again Sweets nodded, then said, 'Bingo, we got prints,' seeing George Cook pouring himself a glass of water from the iced jug, and taking a gulp from the glass.

'Works _every _time. Doesn't anyone watch crime shows anymore?' Shaw remarked. Sweets huffed, opening his file.

'Forty three, divorced, no children. Loner. Nurse. Previous positions; _jeeze, _this guy can't hold down a job, can he?' Shaw shook her head, knowing there were at least eight different hospitals he'd been in the last six years. 'Been working at Hinsdale for the last twelve months though. He was on the rotor _every _time Doctor Brennan visited Sawyer?' Shaw nodded to confirm that strange coincidence. 'Ok. And the night Sawyer got transferred to the open ward because of a computer glitch he pulled a _double _shift - that's interesting.'

'Yeah, and get this. It's a grainy picture captured from the VT from the labour suite Doctor Brennan was taken to after she gave birth. Who does that look like injecting Christine's foot?'

Sweets slumped. 'Is that the best enhancement our tech guys can come up with?' Shaw nodded, flapping the virtually useless image on her palm. 'To be honest, that could be anyone - a jury won't go for it.' Shaw slumped this time, knowing he was right.

Shaw looked back to Cook, saying, 'Do you think we're just making him _wet _and pissed off?'

Sweets sighed. 'What's your gut telling you about him, Agent Shaw?'

'I think he's involved - I just have to convince him we're _sure _he is.' Sweets nodded stoically, contemplating Cook. Then he gestured with his hand towards the door for her to lead the way. Genny took back Cook's file, and they made their way into the interview room.

Cook sat straighter as they both came in with pleasant smiles. 'So sorry to keep you waiting, Mr Cook. We've been conducting many interviews today, as you are aware. I'm Agent Genny Shaw this is my colleague Doctor Lance Sweets.' She offered her hand which he shook, and Sweets' as well.

Sweets saw Cook's cheek flicker when she introduced him, indicating he was aware he'd lost his girlfriend in the explosion recently. But interestingly he didn't offer his condolences, Sweets noted; he didn't take umbrage. They sat down opposite him.

Shaw went on casually, but in a charming manner, 'You understand we're checking every avenue in this investigation into Ethan Sawyer's murder.' Shaw unexpectedly tossed the more gruesome pictures of Sawyer's chewed up corpse on the table on the way to Cook's employment record. Sweets saw his eyes follow the shots as they spread out like a card hand, and swallow hard to settle his lurching stomach. 'Its says here, from the duty roster Doctor Nobel made available to us, that you were on the duty shift the night Sawyer left the unit?' Cook nodded, pouring some more water into his glass, and took a sip. 'Did you see him leave?' Cook shook his head, not answering verbally. 'So you didn't speak to him or know that he was planning on leaving the open ward?' Cook, again, shook his head. 'Are you _sure _about that?' Her question implied they had evidence to the contrary consequently Cook started to panic internally. 'Why did you pull a double shift that night? The unit was fully staffed, I'm assured.' Cook quirked his lips as if he didn't think that was strange, but festering inside. 'Maybe you just needed the money…'

Not getting anything back, Shaw kept chipping away, 'Ok. It's normal practice for the patients to sign out and back in though, isn't it? You'd insist on that.' He nodded, taking miniscule sips from his glass. 'So you can't explain why he didn't sign out?' Cook shrugged his shoulder. 'Ok. I'd just like you to look at this for me and give me your opinion on it.' Shaw got up, and walked towards a TV in the corner of the room, and pushed play with a remote control. Sawyer appeared manic and ranting about needing to kill a demon child. He became more and more wild until he shot to his feet then was restrained by a male nurse. Shaw pushed pause, and looked to Cook with a cocked brow. He twitched on his buttocks, dabbing his brow with a handkerchief drawn from his pocket. Shaw said, pointing, 'That's you, isn't it - restraining Ethan Sawyer?'

'Yes,' he finally spoke, not able to deny it or deflect. Shaw sat back down again slowly, making him stew, then smiled.

'You've got at least twelve years experience in units like this one, and have, no doubt, come across many disturbed patients like Sawyer.' Cook nodded again. 'Did you know he was raving about Doctor Brennan's daughter - threatening to kill her?'

'Yes - but these patients say a lot of things when they are off their medications.'

Shaw jumped on that immediately, 'Oh! He was _off _his medications? It doesn't say that in the file,' she queried, checking the notes. Sweets knew Shaw had drawn a mistake from him already, and could almost see his heart beating through his shirt. 'Doctor Nobel assured us he was taking them, they _were _issued to him. It says here that he was prescribed _two _antipsychotic drugs to control his episodes. One at the night rounds, which _you _covered, and another in the morning. You've been his nurse for several months - isn't it your remit to stand over the patient while they take them - to ensure they have?' Cook looked terribly uncomfortable again to both Agents. 'So did he refuse to take them and you just _falsified _the drug log?' Cook began to sweat profusely, and flick his eyes to Sweets then to the grizzly pictures on the table and back up to Shaw, as she said evenly, 'Let's leave that for now and move on. This tape of Sawyer was recorded two days before he walked out of the unit supposedly unseen - out the _only _front door the unit has. With your years of experience and being privy to Sawyer's previous recent episode, didn't you think it _peculiar _that he was transferred to the open ward?'

'The medications act quickly sometimes - I'm not a doctor, beside it was a computer screw-up, wasn't it?'

'True-true. So when you handed over to your colleague, Dave Colbane at six AM, I understand its working practise to walk the wards and check the patients that are in, out and locked down against the log - to bring them up to speed. So, why weren't you shocked to see Sawyer was missing and hadn't signed out or back in? Surely you should have raised the alarm then? Or did it just - slip your mind?'

'Yeah but if he was in the minimum security ward he could come and go as he pleased. Its voluntary. I can't keep track of everyone.'

'Yes, I see. Umm,' she pondered, seeing his cheeks flush. 'Nearly finished, Mr Cook, then you're free to go,' she said with a bewitching smile but it didn't transfer to her eyes. She saw he relaxed slightly knowing this was nearly over but it was just her ploy. Sweets, pretending not to be listening to the conversation, started looking through the grizzly crime scene photographs of Sawyer, which distracted Cook and made him ever more restless.

'You earn twenty two thousand a year after you pay your taxes. That's not very much for such a demanding, responsible job, is it? I couldn't do what you do,' she confessed, sounding extremely impressed with his dedication. 'But then again you've recently purchased a brand new Audi coupe with _cash_. That must alleviate your stress. You must have been saving up for that for such a long time! Funny though, we couldn't find where you deposited or withdrew that substantial amount of cash from…' Shaw glanced to Sweets as she said, 'Under your mattress maybe? Haa!' Cook laughed softly too but not really, then swallowed hard, Sweets noted.

Shaw went on almost immediately, 'Have you ever moonlighted as a paramedic - to earn cash for those _little _extras?' Cook didn't reply, but they saw a trickle of sweat run down temple from his grade two. 'Or have you ever been to, or in the vicinity of, Brimmer's Inn -,' Cook folded his arms over his chest defensively, 'to administer medical attention to a woman who'd just given birth in their barn?' Cook dragged his head back, looking confused by her question, trying to parry. 'No?' Shaw then produced the grainy image she was convinced was him from the back of the file, and placed it in front of him carefully. Sweets watched his jaw slacken slightly, as he looked at it. He knew he recognised himself despite the poor quality image and so did Shaw. She dropped her tone and affability as she asked, 'Do you know who that newborn is?' Cook quickly shook his head, still with his eyes on the image, and panic escalating. 'That's the supposedly _demon _child - Doctor Brennan's one hour old baby… What are you injecting her with, Mr Cook?' Cook snapped his eyes up to hers, and shook his head again, but clearly looking hemmed in by the questions he knew he couldn't answer without incriminating himself.

Sweets stepped in quietly with, 'I know your terrified, George - scared my girlfriends fate, Inger Johannsen and Sawyer's may become yours. Just to focus your mind, one of Pelant's other _associates _was found dead in her hospital bed yesterday afternoon too.' Cook paled, then agitatedly ran his fingers through his none-existent hair. 'You need to understand this man is the _demon _and we need to catch him before his murdering spree escalates - and _trust _me, it will…' Cook twitched again, with his heart racing, glancing between Shaw and Sweets as he considered his limited options. He only had one in actuality, and metaphorically threw himself into their hands.

'I'll need protection.' Sweets slowly sat back, and slipped his eyes to Shaw.

She laced her fingers, and rested the clutch on the desk, as a voice said in her ear piece: **((**_Granted_**.)) **Shaw said softly to Cook, 'We can arrange that _but… _we need to know everything - a full honest statement without prejudice.'

'I want immunity from prosecution.' **((**_Hedge__**.**_**))**

Shaw raised her brows casually, making him wait as she deliberated on her answer. He fidgeted. 'That depends on what you give us in return, Mr Cook.'

Cook, genuinely fearing for his life and riddled with frustration and anxiousness, blurted, 'What-do-ya-need? Look - I can _get _you this son-of-a-bitch but I need to disappear off this screwed-up planet if you _fuck _it up,' he sneered. **((**_Granted_**.)) **Shaw didn't bat an eyelid, staying as cool as an iceberg. She heard the recorders in the viewing room being flicked on in her ear piece and: **((**_Proceed_**.))**

'Ok, Mr Cook, you have immunity from prosecution and the FBI's protection.' Cook sagged with his relief, then swilled the last of the water from his glass down his throat like it was a Jack Daniels. With her chilled eyes fixed on Cook, Shaw took out her note pad and pen, then with a simmering smile, instructed, 'Start right at the _very _beginning…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**En route to Jiayuan Tech. Inc.**

**Northern Beijing**

**China**

'Try not to be so - _American_,' Lin instructed her daughter.

Ange glared at her, affronted by the insinuation and backhanded insult. 'What's _that _supposed to mean?' Lin grinned wryly, then looked out of the stretch limousine's blacked out windows to the rural landscape drifting by.

'In China - life, as in business, is all about perception. Don't ask questions until I signal you to do so. Be _excessively _polite and humble. Don't not rush or talk loudly, don't show _any _emotion other than great respect for their intelligence, skills, or hospitality. Business is done face to face and with an open hand - do you understand what that means?'

'Bribery?'

Lin took a deep slow inhaled, saying, 'No, Angela - honesty.'

'I've been honest with them, they still refused to deal with me. I told them everything I needed and why. They just clammed up like - well, like clams.'

Lin said softly, 'I know… But you made the mistake of _assuming _China works like the US.' Then she educated, 'You asked for something which you know they produce that had been either _stolen _or secretly paid for, which cast dishonour on the company owners _just _by the implication. They closed ranks; refused your calls, and pretended it didn't happen. You inadvertently pointed out their failures, their ineptitude and threw deep suspicion on every working member of the company and their associates.'

Ange sagged, and looked out of the window too now but didn't see the view. 'Oh,' she said quietly, understanding now.

'Oh. Indeed.'

'So how did _you _know they closed ranks and covered it up?'

'One of the companies CEO's secretly came to see me discovering you were my daughter. They'd investigated _you _and the events in the US you're dealing with - as far as they could. They also held their own internal enquiry and discovered they did indeed have a potential suspect in the loss of these chips.' Ange shifted her buttocks, and listened intently. 'The culprit has been _dealt _with…' Ange narrowed her eyes at her Mom, fearing what that enigmatic comment implied.

'Dealt with - you mean…?'

'Perception, Angela, _perception_,' Lin reiterated, then she pushed the intercom button to the driver, and gave him an instruction in Mandarin. The car came to a slow halt beside the bumpy road. Leo got out, and opened the door, this time in fetching chauffeurs attire. 'I want to show you something,' Lin said, slipping her hand delicately into Leo's, and glided elegantly out of the platinum limousine. Ange followed, and stood beside her as Leo discreetly returned to the car.

The clear sky was bleached by the scorching sun, washing out its colour. The heat was oppressive with a draining humidity which shimmered the air, but thawed her soul. The diffused light and sweet smell of the air cleansed her lungs and eyes of the city. In the distance Ange saw, as far as she could see, ragged mountains crested by a massive wall with station turrets at regular intervals. The Great Wall rippled up and down the backs of the mountains like the body of a lazy dragon into forever. Her breath caught and her widened eyes feasted. At the base of the mountain range was the flat plain that ambled towards her like a memory. It was lush with silver pools of water with uniform shoots of immature thriving rice seedling. The emerald patchworks, and low dykes between them, were worked by small black-clothed Chinese farmers. They were hunched over their crops with flat reed hats protecting them from the fierce heat. Oxen intermittently lay in the pools cooling themselves, while snowy egrets picked tics from their backs. This was where her dream was - it wasn't lost or swept away; she just hadn't looked hard enough for it, Ange realised.

'Oooh. Mom, its _breathtaking_,' she awed, inspired to paint it. She felt she could sit down right now on the side of the dusty road and just paint it.

'Just over three months ago there was a high-speed train track that cut through this peaceful area.' Lin pointed to show its ghostly path. Ange snagged her head back, thinking that impossible, seeing the rural, flawless vista now. 'The highly valued Bullet trains took thousands at a time from Beijing all over this country on this route.' Ange nodded, looking into Lin's profile. 'Two trains crashed head on at over 180MPH, with over three thousand people onboard. Many were killed instantly, many others lay dieing of their injuries. It was decided, to save the injured families the expense of treatment, and the dead not worth recovering, that they should bury the train and everyone together and then divert the track. And so, it was done…'

Ange gawped at her mother in disbelief, completely horrified by that heinous act. Lin shook her head, knowing she didn't understand the complexities of living in a Communist country: where the individual rights of one didn't matter but only the whole did.

'Perception, Angela,' she stated again. 'The train crash, which not only embarrassed the Government and it workers for failing so badly, meant a loss of respect, confidence and made them appear incompetent, not just in China, but to the outside world too. They couldn't allow that to happen. The Government are the press and they control what the people are allowed to know. Social network sites are restricted and monitored closely so this wasn't difficult to achieve.'

'So it was hidden - just covered up?' Lin nodded, looking back to the tranquil view. 'What about the people, the injured?'

'In a population of 1.8 _billion_, a few hundred deaths are - insignificant. These hard working farmers earn less a month than you spend on a Starbucks latte on the way to work. They couldn't afford the appropriate medical treatment or the time to care for the injured relatives when they can barely feed themselves - The decision made was a merciful, caring act for the whole - and not a crime.'

'No, I _disagree_,' Ange vehemently rebuffed, shaking her head, disgusted by the thought.

'Yes, you would - you live in the west, and have a totally different _perspective_, Angela…'

With the lesson given, Ange looked back to the view then up to the Great Wall, contemplating it, then asked rhetorically, 'Was it built to keep out the Hun - or keep the people in?' Lin didn't reply but returned to the vehicle. Ange followed not long after, and they resumed their journey in silence.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! **

**Simultaneously**

**Pelant's Street**

**Surveillance Team II**

'Here they come,' Franks said, seeing the cable vans pull up down the street. 'I can't _wait _to see his face when he comes back and sees them digging up the cable.' Strand snorted his amusement to agree. 'Did STI say where he was?'

'Yeah. Apparently he took the Blue Line up to Benning Heights, got fitted up for a tux then, like you do, picked up a hooker and is getting a blow job.'

'Lucky _bastard_,' Franks sneered, watching the cable workmen start to unpack their equipment. Then he divulged bitterly, 'My wife only does that when its my birthday or when she's _drunk_.'

Strand frowned, thinking. 'She's taken the pledge though, hasn't she?' Franks nodded, peering through his binoculars. 'When _is _your birthday?' Franks sighed heavily, and looked to his partner.

'Three months. - three loooong months away,' he droned. Strand sniggered.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Northern Beijing**

**Jiayuan Tech. Inc.**

Mr Yonyto, was a thirty-something vibrant, suited man with deep dark eyes but walked as slowly as an old man with his hands behind his back. Ange was itching to move faster but told herself to check her pace and eagerness as Yonyto showed them around the clean rooms in the small factory. It felt to her as if he was just showing off how wonderfully proud he was of the work they did here. Which, in truth, they did.

This area was China's equivalent of Silicone Valley in the US, and had hundreds of factories and facilities utilising the best minds and technicians to produce all manner of cutting edge computers; telecommunications, medical instruments and diagnostic tools, and satellites for space exploration. Every idea that was dreamed was found a home here and the applications of those dreams spread out over the valley to be explored and to be made real. This particular factory, she was told, was on the cusp of a huge breakthrough in human/machines chip interfaces. With the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, where many servicemen and women and civilians had lost limbs, this factory had found its reason for being. Prosthetic limbs of the past were considered clumpy, painful and unsightly. The dream here was to create the complete opposite of those negative aspects; to create a limb that was comfortable, elegant and as close to the patients original limb as possible. But most importantly, it had to be as dextrous and as efficient as a human limb and easily controlled.

Mr Yonyto came to a halt outside yet another large window, then turned to face them, and finally stopped talking. Ange smiled warmly, taking her lead from her mother, said nothing although she was burning with questions. 'We shall take tea,' he said, gesturing along the corridor, and moved on again. Ange sagged, forlornly glancing through the window to the technicians peering through high-powered magnifying instruments at the chips Yonyto was so proud of. Lin tugged her arm gently to follow him. Ange felt as if she was on a bad museum tour: instead of velvet ropes to stop you touching there were thick glass and PIN locked doors keeping you at a tantalizing distance from seeing all the good exhibits.

They were taken through his plush office to a patio area outside. It was shaded and cool with a magnificent view of the Great Wall in the distance framed by a vaulted red lacquered archway. A rambling ice white rose spiralled up and over the arch and pillars, and fragranced the air sweetly. The rest of the garden was ablaze with colour and hummed with bees and delicate butterflies. Gentle trickling water features were strategically placed to soothe and relax giving a sedate ambience. Tea was already set up so they sat when invited to on soft minimalist designer chairs.

'Have you enjoyed the tour, Ms Lin, Ms Montenegro?' Ange glanced to her Mom before she answered. Lin nodded for her to finally say something.

'Very, _very _much. Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to show us around, Mr Yonyto. Your factory is wonderful and you do immense, _vital _work here.' Her comments went down well, she thought, because Yonyto bristled with reserved pride, and accepted her compliments with a respectful nod. 'I was wondering if it's poss…' she paused when Lin interrupted quickly to ask him a question.

'Mr Yonyto, may I ask after your father - is he in good health?'

'Yes, he's very well and sends his best wishes to you and your _beautiful _daughter.' Ange grinned nervously, realising she'd almost jumped the gun again, so resigned herself to just sip her green tea, and shut up.

'How kind. My daughter, Angela, is staying with me for a few more days before she returns to Washington and her family.' This was news to Ange but she didn't let the shock show on her face. 'We would very much like for you to visit us if you have time before she returns home.'

'I'd be _honoured_,' he accepted her invitation gracefully. Lin took out a business card from her purse, and handed it to him with a generous smile. He immediately slipped it into his pocket without reading it. Her mother kept the conversation going but cleverly well away from anything remotely to do with the chips, the factory or the employee suspected of supplying the chips to Pelant. Ange again resigned herself to the idle chatter about family; The Great Wall, the garden they were in, and the weather. Finally the tea was drunk and they were escorted back to their limousine, empty handed.

Once inside the vehicle Ange expressed her dismay, 'This is a nightmare and a _total _waste of time… I've _got _to get back to the US, Mom - and _pee_. All I've done is drink _tea_. I can't hang around waving my ass in the air while my friend _rots _in jail! I'm going to have to find another way to…' she trailed off when her mother started grinning wryly. 'What - what you smiling about?'

'You - you're so passionate and loyal to your friends but so _impatient_. Everything in China has a time - a time to love, time to live, time to eat, to drink, to...'

'Oh! _Stop _with the Zen lectures, Mom, its getting old,' Ange berated, snapping her eyes out of the window and away from hers.

There was a few moments of awkward silence, then Lin asked softly, 'Can you stand to be with me for two more days, Angela?' Ange flicked her eyes to her mother who was staring out the window, and felt pangs of remorse for snapping at her. 'I'll try not to lecture you again.'

Ange closed her eyes, and huffed out, 'Guilt trip now, is it?'

Lin settled her eyes on her, and accused gently, 'You've never forgiven me, have you?'

Ange shot back honestly, 'No.' She saw her brutal honesty had cut her deeply, but it didn't stop Ange from asking, 'Why did your leave me - come back and leave again? Have you _any _idea what that did to me?'

'Have you any idea why I did?'

'Because you wanted a career - which you _got_! Then visited when you could be _bothered_.'

'Is that what you're father told you happened?'

Ange challenged, smarting, 'I suppose you are going to tell me different…' For the first time since she'd been with her mother Ange saw her cool façade and closely guarded emotions slip. She rubbed her brow with her fingers tips, and couldn't disguise an expression of distress that crossed her features. Ange knew that distress was genuine.

Lin took a deep breath in preparation, then explained, 'I went to the US on a five year student visa to study at Harvard.' Ange nodded, already knowing that. 'The States were so far from _this _life -,' Lin gestured out of the window, 'I went a little crazy. I drank, smoked and took substances I shouldn't have, partied very hard. I was _free _for the first time in my life - and probably the last…' Ange could understand that, knowing what she did now. 'Then I met your father, fell in love, and we created you,' she said with a trace of a smile, but lost it when she added, 'My visa expired and had to return home or risk deportation and then I'd never be allowed to return. I was also risking the wrath of the Chinese authorities and what they might do to my family.' Ange sighed, nodding. 'If I'd taken you with me the authorities would've put you to an orphanage - my father wouldn't have tolerated you in his house either. In his eyes, I'd brought shame on myself and him and the family name.' Lin looked across the rice paddies as they whizzed by, and reflected, 'Traditions and morality run deep here and the stigma of any, so called, wrong doing last millennia.' Ange swallowed, she was well aware that even in the States some people turned their backs on the single parent, even in this day and enlightened age.

'I told your father of my dilemma so he agreed to take care of you. Besides I wanted you to have the freedom I'd tasted and I knew you couldn't have here. So, I went home. My father died not shortly after my return and I took over the company I was destined to from birth. When I could, I returned to the US to visit you - but the damage had already been done between us. You didn't know, or could barely remember me, so our meetings were fraught and awkward.' Ange nodded, remembering, sympathising. 'You said earlier that you were missing Michael. You've been parted from him for, what is it, forty eight hours? I was with you constantly for nearly three years before I left -,' Lin barely held herself together as she said in staccato, 'can you imagine then - what that did to me - to leave you behind - and never know if I would see you again..?'

Ange felt her tears bristling on her lids and clouding her eyes, as she said, 'Perspective…' Her mother nodded, which jogged her similar tears down her cheeks. Ange slipped over the seats to sit with her, and took her hand, then kissed the back of it. 'Oooh. Crap. Why didn't we do this before, Mom?' Ange asked. Lin rested her head on her shoulder, and shook her head, not knowing why.

'Give me two more days, Angela, just - two more days.' Ange grinned, and held her mother closer.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Alan Trope's Offices**

'Miss Holcomb!' Trope bellowed from inside his office, slamming his phone down. Miss Holcomb flinched, and shot to her feet, coming to her boss' open door. 'Get me the Prosecutors Office, a large cigar and let's break out the _good _coffee!'

Miss Holcomb flared her eyes at Trope, enquiring, 'Has there been some movement on Doctor Brennan's case then?'

'Movement? A _fucking _earthquake more like!' Miss Holcomb smiled hard, delighted to hear it, and did as instructed.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Home Field Park**

'Go long! Go long!' Parker wailed to his Dad, full of summer smiles and his arm about to unleash a might throw of the pig skin they were playing with. Booth started to run backwards but keeping his eyes on Parker. He couldn't stop smiling, although he wished desperately that Bones was messing about with them out here today.

'Is that long enough!' he hollered back, but still crab running away, and puffing. He saw Parker hurl the ball with all his might with a throaty grunt. As it sailed high into the air, just then, while in mid-flight, Booth snapped his head to his left, hearing a characteristic thudding rumble of a chapter of Harley riders skirt the park. The ball hit him smack in the head, and he tumbled to the ground in a heap.

'Daaaad -,' Parker groaned, running towards he's felled father, 'you're supposed to catch it not _head _it.' Booth sat up, and watched the bikers ride off except one, who slowed down, and came to a halt looking over to him. Seeing the rider stop, Booth leapt to his feet, and began to trot over in his direction.

'Stay here,' he instructed Parker.

But not hearing him, Parker grabbed the ball, and caught up with him, asking, 'Where we goin'?' Just as Booth was about to answer the rider revved hard three times, and sped off.

Booth knew he didn't want to talk to him with Parker present but also knew he was being watched. '_Shit_,' he muttered, but thought quickly, and scanned the perimeter of the park. Then he began to pelt across the scorched grass at top speed to cut off the rider; the messenger he knew as Daniel…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**A/N: **Will Trope get something stronger than coffee if he get Bones out of jail? Will Agent Franks get oral sex before his birthday? Will Booth have a bruise? Will Leo ever speak? Has Cook finally stopped sweating? These and other questions will be answered in the next instalments of, Pelant - coming very soon. Reviews are nice, thanks. *wink* Hugs, Lebxeb. XX


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: **All characters portrayed here are fictional. No infringement of rights intended. Bones & its characters are a product of Fox Inc. & not mine. No financial gain is received from this work of fiction.

**Summary: **Pelant is free but the evidence against him is mounting - will it be enough though? "Nothing is what it seems…" - Seeley Booth.

**Rating: M **

**Thanks: **to all those who are still hanging in there. Your patience is about to be rewarded. ;)

**Pelant**

**Chapter XIII**

**Home Field Park**

… Booth sprinted like Nike across the trimmed yellowing grass with his eyes lanced through Daniel's as he got closer and closer to the intersection he was stalled at by a red light. Booth thought he looked undecided about whether to jump the lights or wait for him to catch up to him, so he hollered, 'WAIT! DANIEL - WAIT-UP!' But the lights changed, and Daniel sped off and away. Booth wilted, losing strength in his lactic-filled thighs, and slowed down on a curse. When he came to a halt, a few seconds later Parker, panting too, arrived at his side.

'Why didn't he wait for you - he could see you were coming? Is he a friend?' Booth shook his head and nodded it to answer both questions, bent over his knees, trying to fill his rasping lungs. 'You're a bit slow for your age, Dad,' Parker remarked cheekily, seeing him struggling, while he was already recovered. Resigned to the fact he wasn't going speak to Daniel, which changed his focus, Booth looked at Parker, then stood up straighter.

'Go long, Parker,' Booth warned, narrowing his eyes at him, then jumped towards Parker as if he was going to spank him for his ageist comment. Parker chuckled, and ran off like the wind. Booth chased after him, shouting, 'Go long - _faster_, or your _butt _is mine!'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Simultaneously**

**Pelant's Street**

'Target returns, 16.27. Heads up. Pelant's spotted them working,' Franks informed, while Strand wrote down the contact time in their log and his other observations, finally having something to do but twiddle his thumbs. 'He's passed his door and heading for the workmen…This should be good…' he muttered, with a wry smile. 'Engages in conversation with two males, smiles, nods, points across the street, motioning towards his residence. He doesn't look concerned at all - _shit_, he's ice cool this one. Pats the back of one of them, smiling and walks away…. Returns to his residence - enters - leaves front door _open_…' Franks looked through the infrared binoculars on a tripod now, saying, 'Target moves to kitchen - cold spot detected - fridge opened, closed. Target moves around kitchen… Come on, Pelant, lift that _fucking _trap door,' he urged.

'What's he doing now?'

'Fuck knows - he's just pottering about in there like my Great Aunt Maud… _Wait_. Here he comes again - Jesus, _seriously_?' Franks blurted incredulously.

'What-what?' Strand questioned his tone, looking up to Franks who was peering through his ordinary binocular again.

Franks informed sarcastically, 'Target _leaves _residence with tray with what _appears _to be a jug of iced _orange _juice on tray - walks towards workmen. Workmen stop, smile and engage in conversation while target hands out refreshing beverages to sweaty workmen.'

Strand said dead pan, while writing, 'Not only is he a genius murdering psychopath he's a good citizen and friend of the cable guy - _nice_…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Laiyuan**

**95 Miles South West Of Beijing**

**China**

Alpha warm shards of light from the sunrise slipped through the gently moving bamboo shutters and tickled Ange's eyelids, they fluttered open. It took a few moments to get her bearings, as she trickled her eyes around the simple elegant room she was in without moving a muscle. She couldn't remember coming to this place nor getting undressed or into bed. It was as plain as the nose on her face the jet-lag had finally caught up with her. The last thing she could remember was holding and being held by her mother in the back of her limousine. She smiled, recalling the reconnection she'd made with her, and the warm glow it gave her.

Ange rolled slowly onto her back, and stretched her arms out above her head, and yawned loudly. Her loud yawn rudely fractured the new, almost painfully silent, dawn, so she snapped her mouth shut. The fine sheets on the futon rustled as she moved against them, and disturbed the friendly bird song outside her open window for a fraction of a second. When they began their playful chirping again she slumped out of bed, and padded to the shutters hiding the window.

Pulling the cord they rose and what that revealed stole her breath with a soft gasp and filled her senses to capacity. Directly out of her large open window was a wooden deck with two chairs and a low table. Off that deck, a matching T-shaped jetty eased through soft organic walls of reeds into a clear, large duck-egg blue lake, that was caressed by a barely rising mist. Patches of amethyst water lilies were sprinkled across the water while the edges of the lake supported thousands of bull rush, sedges and white iris. Almost in the middle of the lake was a five storey pagoda in perfect proportion with its surroundings. It spread out and turned up its four terracotta wing-like roofs to the heavens, while the low swirling mist surrounding its base, made it look as if it was floating just above the water. The lake was surrounded by enormous forests of phoenix-tail bamboo; copper beach, cherry, and multi-coloured maples with feathery leaf tips. Beyond all that, a ridge of moon-blue mountains held up the dragons never-ending man-made body. Ange felt, again, her soul stir and a deep sense peace; temporarily forgetting home and its troubles. Ange leant on the window frame, and absorbed it all; taking a metal photograph of it for a keep-sake. Once done she turned, and looked around her room.

The ultra-thin walls of her carefully arranged feng shui room were sparingly decorated with immaculately hand painted scenes from ancient history which took her back to her unknown roots. Wanting to explore the retreat, she slipped on a white silk robe hung on a hook beside an intricately carved wardrobe. She opened it to see her case had been unpacked and contents hung and laid out precisely. How her abandoned case got from her hotel to here boggled her mind: she didn't want to waste time or energy contemplating that, so didn't.

Sliding the doors apart, she stepped barefoot out onto the deck, and walked along the jetty to take in the full view of the lake. Something caught her eye almost immediately on her right on the next much larger, neighbouring deck. A half naked man with a sinew-taught, ripped torso was performing the graceful moves of t'ia chi facing the sunrise. She recognised the uber-fit young man as, the multi-talented, Leo. Beside him, in a cream silk tunic and matching loose cropped trousers and barefoot, her mother was performing the slow elegant moves in synchronicity with him. They held her spellbound but magnetized her towards them with their hypnotic movements.

Ange walked around the deck passed more rooms with open doors with equally elegant interiors. On reaching the large deck expanse the performers slowly turned within the moves, seeing her. Leo stopped immediately, and bowed deeply at her with his hands beside his thighs, then with a little smile, he softly walked away. Lin finished her routine in a few moments, then smiled hard at her.

'Good morning, Angela. How did you sleep?' she asked, taking a seat around a large table on the deck, and crossed her legs, draping her hands over the arms of the chair.

'Like a log, thanks. That was _great _-,' Ange remarked, gesturing she meant their t'ai chi, and sat down too. 'this place is _great_, eye popping-ly beautiful. So, where _exactly _are we - in some sort of retreat?' Lin chuckled softly, and shook her head.

'No. This is my _home _- well, one of them. I have apartments in the city but this is my _special _bolt hole,' she explained, looking over the lake. 'I come here as often as my schedule allows. Its just over two hours into the city from here - less if I take the helicopter, of course. There are no cells or computers here so no one bothers me. I _adore _it.'

'I can see why, Mom, you've got some _great _taste.'

'Thank you. Now - are you hungry?' Ange nodded excitedly. 'Good.' Lin rung a small hand bell on the table and within moments Leo reappeared. He was dressed in a loose fitting white embroidered tunic and trousers, barefoot carrying a tray of tea accruements and a plate of dumplings. As he served them in silence with an enigmatic smile, Lin said, 'I'd like to show you around, if you've no objections.' Ange shook her head, having none. 'The lake has a lovely path around it but I usually take a swim in the lake before breakfast - once around the pagoda, have a massage, then walk back - I find it most therapeutic.' Leo stirred in Lin's sugar without letting the spoon touch the porcelain, Ange noted. 'I'm sure Leo wouldn't mind doubling up on the massages, would you, Leo?' she asked, looking up into his face with an attractive smile. He smiled warmly back, and stepped away with a little bow. Lin sipped her tea.

'Don't let me mess up your routine, Mom. I just need to eat first - I'm _famished_,' she said, picking up a sweet dumpling, and popping it into her mouth.

'Are you sure? Leo will take good care of you. You can meet me at the pagoda when you're refreshed.'

'Yep, go ahead. I'm good.' Her mother smiled, then stood. Leo walked with her to the end of the jetty, and stood a pace away. To Ange's amazement, unabashed her mother removed her silks, handing them to Leo. For a fifty four year old woman she still had an amazing figure, Ange thought, thinking no amount of plastic surgery could compete with great genes. Lin then trotted to the end of the jetty, and dived elegantly in, and swam away towards the pagoda. Ange burst out laughing, seeing a small tattoo on her left buttock of her father inside a yang segment of the taijitu. Leo turned, folding her silks, trying to not laugh with her. Ange saw him flick his laughing eyes at her, then continue to walk away. It was only when she was alone again did her thoughts return to her mission and reason for being here.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Xi'an **

**Terracotta Warrior Open Museum**

**China**

Max picked out an appropriate postcard from the array to choose from, and showed it to Maria. She nodded solemnly at his choice. 'I just hope the others have been delivered already -,' he said, with a slightly worried grimace, 'or this will screw everything up.'

At the sales counter he paid for it and a few other items. They walked outside into the bright sun, with Maria pushing Christine in her stroller across the vast forecourts towards a cafe. Under the shade of a parasol at one of the tables they sat down. Taking a single hair out of an envelope he'd stored in his wallet, Max curled it carefully into a tight spiral, then placed it on the top right hand side of the postcard. Maria, just as carefully, placed a self-adhesive stamp over it, leaving just a tiny amount of the hair sticking out. Max pushed down hard on the stamp, securing the clue in place; just like he'd done with all the previous postcards. Then Maria wrote Cam's address on it from a list Max had with him. 'That's the last one. That's as much as I can do - now its down to them.' Maria patted the back of his hand, forcing a smile to her lips.

'You wait here with Christine - I'll post it.' Max nodded. Maria went back into the gift shop, and popped it into the post box...

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Blue Dragon Pagoda**

**Ground Floor**

**Laiyuan**

**China**

'Just let Leo work his magic, Angela. He's quite the master,' Lin encouraged, wrapped in another silk gown, this time it was a delicate shade of pink. Having already had her massage, she sat on the wooden steps that cascaded into the lake, and dipped her toes in the warming water, smoking a menthol cigarette. Ange was face down with just a small towel over her buttocks while warm fragrant oils were being massaged into her body by the truly masterful hands of Leo. The scent of the fresh water, surrounding lush vegetation, and oils invaded Ange who was moments away from paradise. 'While you were refreshing and eating Leo informed me Mister Yonyto contacted us.' Ange's head shot up to look at her. Leo gently pushed her head back down to relax; she didn't need much persuasion. 'He's coming for dinner tonight. Leo will fish this evening and prepare something wonderful for us, as usual.'

Ange snorted through the hole in the massage bed, saying, 'Is there nothing Leo can't do?'

'I haven't found a single fault in him in the twelve years he's been with me,' she divulged, glancing over her shoulder to him. He didn't look up, but continued massaging expertly. 'Anyway, this is a good sign, Angela. Please remember what I told you yesterday about your behaviour, questions and manners.' Ange mumbled her reply, getting lost in Leo's sublime hands as he started on her thighs. 'Your friend, Temperance, you are close?' Ange nodded gently. 'I expect more so now you have children so close together. She has a remarkable intellect, I understand.' Ange nodded again. 'You know, I might be safer for her to stay where she is…' Ange looked up to Lin. She put out her cigarette carefully in the ashtray, then looked to Ange. 'If this _Pelant _is as dangerous and conniving as you say he is, then it might be wise to leave her out of the situation rather than release her back into it.' Ange propped up onto her elbows now. Leo stopped massaging, and waited patiently. 'I believe her father, Max has done the right thing by taking Christine away too - despite how worrying and distressing that must be for her parents.'

On a suspicion, Ange narrowed her eyes at her, asking pointedly, 'Do you know something you're not telling me?'

'Absolutely _not_... But maybe, Angela, I have a different perspective than you. Being so emotionally involved might be clouding your judgment on this point.' Ange settled back down so Leo resumed diligently.

'Booth needs her out and beside him. I don't know that you can understand the kind of simpatico they have.' Leo flicked his eyes to Lin, she caught his glance. 'He's putting up a great show of strength but inside he's a broiling mass of frustration, anger and fear. Besides, they are stronger together than they can ever be apart. If you saw them together, you'd get it. Anyway, if I can get these chips and prove the link between them and Pelant he'll be locked up for good.'

'Yes - but that's only a possibility, not a certainty.' Ange flapped her limp hand to dismiss her mild caution, drifting into near bliss again. 'If we are successful there will be a price to pay.'

'I've got money, Mom.' Lin smiled at her innocent reply, then came over to stand beside her. Ange could see her dainty feet next to Leo's though the hole in the table.

'Money is _not _what he'll ask for in return…' she said cryptically. Ange lifted her head, and looked to Lin at her side, just catching her mother ghosting her hand off from Leo's back.

'Sex?' Ange queried, horrified at the thought. Lin's eyes widened to saucer size, then she laughed heartily, glancing to Leo, who cracked a charmed smile too.

'Haa. _No_, Angela, my _dear _girl -,' she lost her laughter and smile, as she clarified, 'a favour… But it might not be requested immediately. It could weeks, months even years to come - but when it does, it _must _be fulfilled or there will be - repercussions...' Lin drifted away leaving Ange with a nagging sense of foreboding in her stomach.

Ange settled again, whining, 'Oooh. Crap, Leo. I think I'd rather just get it over and done with and be Yonyto's sex slave for the night.' Leo smiled hard, and continued to work her shoulders, saying nothing, as per usual.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Pochep**

**Russia**

There was little in his small rented apartment room that Nikolay was going to miss. With just a small tartan suitcase in hand that had seen better days, he took one last look around the drab room, then closed the door on his old life.

Nikolay opened the trunk of his clapped-out, rusting charcoal Lancia, and carefully put his case inside it, alongside a new silver Samsonite one. With a sense of anticipation and mounting freedom coursing his blood stream, he gently closed the trunk.

Turning the key, the engine spluttered and choked out a plume of grey exhaust and spits of oil as the engine fired up. He revved the throttle to clear its throat after having been sat still and going nowhere for five months, till it purred. He lit a cigarette, letting it hang between his lips as he wound down the window. Tapping his breast pocket to triple check he had his passport, he resting his elbow on the window frame, then put the Lancia into gear. He drove off into the Saturday afternoon traffic; disappearing amongst the rest of the rusty, sooty automobiles, westward bound…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Court 3**

**Closed Session **

**Judge Jonas Presiding**

The prosecution lawyer, Caroline, Shaw, Trope, along with Cam, Doctor Gonzalez, and Agent Flynn all stood when the gruff Judge Jonas swept in the court with his robes fluttering behind him from his chambers. He carried a large file with him, and took to his chair, opening out that fat file, and looked up.

'Be seated,' he instructed. Trope stayed standing however. Jonas went on almost without taking a breath, 'I've read the petition you've submitted for dropping the charges for a Doctor Brennan currently held on remand and awaiting trial for the murder of Ethan Sawyer. She was refused bail as she was considered a serious flight risk. Its Saturday, I want to get out of here, as no doubt you do too. So lets not procrastinate! _Mister _Trope, you've called for an extraordinary session in closed court, which I've granted due to the special nature and delicacy of this case. I've read through the sworn affidavit from Mister X who has turned states witness and has been granted immunity from prosecution by the FBI for reasons which, not doubt, will become clear later. You have more evidence to present to the court on this matter, I believe?'

'Yes, your, Honour - we do. This new evidence has also been made available to the Prosecutors Office.' Jonas nodded, glancing to the prosecutor who nodded to confirm that fact. 'There were three pieces of vital evidence that pointed to Doctor Brennan's guilt in the homicide of Ethan Sawyer. I'd like to address those points this evening. Firstly, strands of Ethan Sawyer's hair were found in the trunk of her Prius. The prosecution claimed that it implied that Ethan Sawyer had been placed in her trunk, incapacitated ready for the disposal of his body. We have evidence to prove another explanation to that supposition. Doctor Brennan insists, _two _weeks prior to Mister Sawyer being taken or leaving the Unit, he gifted her with a book. - which is in evidence. The FBI Forensic Team have scrutinized _every _book in Mister Sawyer's room and discovered _many _hairs among the pages of several books matching those that were found in her trunk.' Mr Trope demonstrated his next statement to Jonas, 'We suggest it perfectly plausible while sitting at a desk - and reading a particular book - the subject may play with, or scratch their head, and so dislodge loose hairs to fall between the pages.' He stood again, walking with the book over to Judge Jonas with the hairs he'd just dislodged in his quick demonstration, and showed him the hairs. Jonas nodded, accepting that as plausible. 'They _also _found; eyelashes, particles of skin and even traces of mucus on the pages of his books. The forensic reports states this is probably due to the reader - Mister Sawyer in these instances, sneezing or coughing while reading these particular books and is not uncommon to find this trace evidence.' Jonas grimace slightly at the thought, but nodded for Trope to continue. Trope returned to his position to collect a remote control for the TV and his pointer.

Moving over to the TV, he said, 'I'd like to show you footage taken at a traffic intersection we've recently acquired from the night Doctor Brennan _swears _she last visited Mister Sawyer.' Trope pushed play. 'Please note the date stamp on the footage corresponds to her dates. As you can see, a car, a Ford Mondeo, swerves into Doctor Brennan's path. She breaks _hard _to avoid a collation - then drives on after a few moments. The licence plate is clearly visible and matches her vehicle.'

Jonas jumped in with, 'Wait - what is she doing there - why is she ducking down like that?' Shaw and Cam exchanged sneaky glances, pleased that Jonas picked up on that.

Knowing Jonas' question and its answer was going to reinforce the evidence he was about to give: a pumped but controlled Trope explained, 'Doctor Brennan had placed her purse on the front passenger seat. When she broke hard her purse shot off the seat into the foot well, your Honour. She is picking up her purse and items that were thrown from it and replaces them on the passenger seat.'

Jonas nodded, obviously accepting that as common practise with women drivers. 'Arrh. Yes, I see - continue.'

With his telescopic pointer Trope continued, pointing to the date stamp on the footage, 'This date is two weeks before Ethan Sawyer is found dead. Doctor Brennan placed the gifted book in trunk for safe keeping not wanting to leave it on display in the car while she went to shop.' Jonas nodded, again accepting that as common practise to avoid theft. 'We believe that the sudden jerk of the vehicle _tossed _the book in the trunk and deposited the hairs on the carpet…' Trope let that statement sink in. Jonas cocked a brow but didn't change his expression. Trope changed the images now. '_This _security footage is from the well-lit car park of the supermarket Doctor Brennan then went to buy groceries from directly after that incident. Again, please note the time, twenty minutes later. Note too, the date stamp on this footage matches the intersection footage. After shopping - forty minutes later, she returns to the vehicle - she opens the trunk to deposit her purchases. I'll freeze frame here.' He did. 'Here -,' he pointed again, 'you can _clearly _see the book Ethan Sawyer gave her is opened out and the pages face _down _in the trunk - obviously disturbed by the near fender-bender. More to the point, Ethan Sawyer is _not _in her car but the book is… If I roll this tape on you'll see Doctor Brennan picks up the opened book, closes it carefully - then puts it in one of the grocery bags - like so - and drives away. This evidence contradicts the _doctored _security footage from the psychiatric unit. The times and date do _not _correspond with the prosecutions but _wholly _support Doctor Brennan's sworn statement and her time and dates completely. What's more, it gives another more plausible explanation as to how those hairs got into her Prius.'

Jonas asked, 'Does the prosecution have anything to say or add?' Mr Bench shook his head in silent reply. 'Move on,' Jonas instructed Trope, but Cam and Caroline could see Jonas was convinced on that point at least.

'The second piece of, so called, damming evidence put forward by the prosecution relates to a trace substance found in a hypodermic needle tip that had been discovered in Mister Sawyer's spine.' Jonas sat back, folding his arms over his chest, as he listened intently. 'Supposedly this substance was injected by Doctor Brennan to incapacitate her alleged victim. The prosecution presented evidence to suggest that she'd procured the plant and distilled a little known poison from it to inject Sawyer with; that would decay from the system rapidly during decomposition of the corpse. It was discovered that she asked a colleague at the Jeffersonian for a specimen of this plant a few weeks before Mister Sawyer's murder. That fact isn't disputed by either _her _or by the colleague that supplied the plant. You'll see from Doctor Brennan's statement that she'd corresponded with a Doctor Zach Gonzalez - who is here today to answer any questions you may have. However, to save time, your Honour, I refer you to the four emails which had been _deleted _by an unknown person from Doctor Brennan's computer. **Fortunately **- Doctor Gonzalez held copies of these correspondence on his laptop's hard drive - and the hard _original _copy which you have in your file.' Trope waited till Jonas retrieved it from his file, then went on, 'May I draw your attention to the date of the first email from Gonzalez _**to **_Doctor Brennan - it is dated six months before Doctor Brennan ever encountered the subject - Christopher Pelant, who we believe _framed _Doctor Brennan for this murder. In this email Doctor Gonzalez suggests they go on a anthropological expedition for three months to study the tribes, Noanaha and Embera that live in the tropical forests of western Colombia. And he gives a list of their objectives and so on and so forth…' Trope waved his hand to dismiss that part as general information, then strengthened his tone as he said, 'In the _last _paragraph you'll see he mentions the curare tipped arrows they use while hunting, and that he would like to study that _specifically _and thought with her forensic background that might ignite her curiosity. He also asked for funding of the expedition in a _polite _way.' Trope glanced to Doctor Gonzalez, with a wry smile. Jonas looked up with just his eyes to him too. Caroline stuck her tongue in her cheek, thinking that was way too cheeky of Zach.

'The second email, is from Doctor Brennan _to _Gonzalez in response, two days later. In which she says she would love to join him _but _that she's in her first trimester of pregnancy and doesn't believe it prudent she should go. But she agrees to part _fund _his study and write the joint paper on his return for an anthropological journal. But you'll see Doctor Brennan also said she would start her research forthwith in anticipation of his return.' Jonas nodded like a toy dog in a rear car window, scanning the emails.

'The third email Gonzalez replies. He states his thanks for her endorsement, the generous funding, congratulates her on her pregnancy - and then, he goes into detail about aspects of the Noanaha culture and more importantly, and I quote from the highlighted section, "_If, for whatever reason, I do not return after three months you maybe able to source a supply of chondrodendron tomentosum and we can compare notes on __**our **__distillations when I return."_.' Trope looked up to Jonas, peering deep into his eyes, as he said. 'That hard copy email was dated three months _**before **_the murder of Inger Johannsen, who the FBI believes was Christopher Pelant first victim and he as much confessed to murdering. Ego, three _months _before Christopher Pelant became known to Doctor Brennan...'

Jonas took a deep breath, and held it, knowing what was coming. 'Your Honour, we believe that Pelant twisted the facts and circumstances to fit the crime _he _committed in order to deliberately frame Doctor Brennan and dispose of the unfortunate Ethan Sawyer who she was then consulting with about Pelant - knowing Sawyer could expose him.'

Jonas let the air go in his lungs, and asked, 'Ok. I'm almost there - but I have questions. Doctor Gonzalez when did you return from the jungles of wherever?'

Zach stood nervously. 'Yesterday morning, Sir. I called Doctor Brennan's office immediately and Doctor Saroyan explained what had happened to her. I was so _shocked - _its terrible. I took a flight to Washington immediately with these emails knowing they could exonerate her.'

'Why did you delay your return to the States?'

'Because the tribes are nomadic and sometimes wary of outsiders. It took me several weeks, at _least_, to find them, then I had to earn their trust, then, of course, before they would allow me into their community I…' Jonas raised his hand to interrupt: putting Zach on pause, hearing enough.

'I understand. Thank you, Doctor Gonzalez. Did you bring back this distilled poison?'

'Yes, Sir.'

Cocking a bushy brow, Jonas nodded, then turned his attention to the prosecution again, batting down Gonzalez to sit. 'Have you anything to say or add, Mr Bench?' He shook his head, and shuffled his papers. Jonas then pulled out Mr X's affidavit, and placed the pages directly out in front of him, and sighed as he looked over them critically. Finally he looked up to Genny, and clarified, 'This is the hard transcript taken by you, Agent Shaw, of Mister X's statement?' She stood, and nodded. 'And the reason why, I suspect, this hearing is being held in closed court.' She nodded, glancing to Flynn. 'Sit down, Agent.' She did.

Jonas went on in an incredulously way, 'There are so many crimes committed in this statement, the mind _boggles_.' He rattled off a few, 'Posing as a trained paramedic; injecting a new mother with an unknown liquid which allegedly contained a micro chip the _purpose _of which is still yet to be fully established and verified. Injecting her infant too. The alterations to visitor logs, drug logs, instructions that Mister X carried out via messages sent to him through ads in the Washington Post. Or calls to his cell by digitally altered voices: his admittance that he withheld a prescribed antipsychotic drug from Ethan Sawyer for the sole intention of increased his paranoia. The list of his criminal acts goes on and on. I confess that if this is all true, it clears Doctor Brennan of all wrong doing in Ethan Sawyer's death.' Caroline, Cam and Shaw all held their breaths, praying he was going to make his judgment now, but they were disappointed as he continued.

'Special Agent Flynn, I'm told you are currently heading the Task Force investigating Christopher Pelant?'

Flynn stood now, and nodded, explaining, 'Pelant is currently under twenty four hour surveillance, your Honour. We suspect his involvement in Sawyer's murder, Inger Johannsen's and Daisy Wicks death too and possibly a prison inmate called Claudette.' Cam kept herself as still as she could, but felt Caroline twitch slightly beside her. 'Who, before she died of secondary complications from a severe allergic reaction to nuts, gave up the name of a guard in the prison that supplied her with narcotics in payment for engraving _CI _on Doctor Brennan's abdomen.'

'CI?' Jonas queered, not getting the connection.

'Yes, Sir. Standing for Christopher _Pelant _- we believe she didn't finish her _engraving _as she was pulled off Doctor Brennan by guards before she could complete it. This man has hacked into restricted databases, uploaded codes to the internet which have disrupted and altered security footage, cell phones, corrupted and deleted computer files and emptied bank accounts and even been convicted of breaching the Military's security protocol which put our Armed Forces at considerable risk…'

'All right, all right - he's a bad egg, I get it. What's his deal - why is he doing all this?'

'We at the FBI suspect, from more evidence gathered not pertaining directly to this single murder case, he's planning a more _serious _display of his control over technology… You have an FBI criminal profile on his character in your file. He's deeply mistrustful of our Government agencies, politicians, the judiciary - _anyone _with power or influence. He believes its his duty to expose the hypocrisy of those persons or establishments by either eradicating or humiliating them.'

Jonas asked, narrowing his eyes at Flynn. 'When you say a more serious _display_, are you implying more murders?'

'Yes, Sir - considerably more. The profile suggests he's escalating and more confident as each day passes. Interpol are involved along with other security organisations around the world. We know he's planning something large as he's still sending lines of code on each DVD's and books borrowed from libraries which chip their collections. We have teams of code breakers working on those elements.'

'Now, yes - I was going to ask about that. Doctor Saroyan, you've submitted evidence of the removal of a _chip _from Doctor Brennan whilst in prison, which _you _claim was injected into her thigh, is that correct?'

Cam stood. 'Yes, your Honour. If you'll permit me I have that footage here and a close up of the chip we extracted. And Mister X swears it was exactly where he was told to put the injection he was supplied with when he posed as a paramedic the day Doctor Brennan gave birth to her daughter.'

'Proceed.' Cam got up, taking the remote with her, and pushed play. She described what everyone was seeing, 'This is Doctor Brennan in the prison conjugal rights motor home bedroom in her underwear, we're scanning…' Caroline quirked her lips in a angry way, seeing the battered body of Bones again.

'Wait -,' Jonas interrupted, Cam pushed pause, 'she's in a bit of state, isn't she?' Caroline huffed at his understatement.

'Yes, two days prior to this she'd been assaulted, for the _second _time to our knowledge, by Claudette and her _friends_. She has a fractured rib and you can just make out the raw cut marks through the sever bruising on her abdomen plus other bruises and lacerations consistent with a violent struggle.' Jonas didn't say anything, but the air in the small court room suddenly became very dense as he nodded solemnly. Cam continued in a professional, unemotional way, 'We're scanning for anything that is metal, or a foreign body or giving off a radio signal - wait, here it comes.' They saw and heard the meter light up when it was passed over her right thigh. Cam then marked the area with a black pen circle after she'd pinpointed the signal. 'I numb the area with a spray - give it a few moments to work - then I make an incision.' They all saw Bones flinch, bleed, and close her eyes as Cam carefully peeled back the flesh to reveal a tiny object. Then on the TV she magnified the image as they watched on in rapt silence. 'I remove the object - and secure it in a sealed evidence bag for inspection later - I stitch the incision.' Everybody could see the shock on Bones' face when she saw the chip removed, knowing that she'd been tracked all along. 'These next images are of the object under high powered magnifying equipment at the Jeffersonian.'

'Well, I'll-be-damned. That looks _very _much like a micro chip to me,' Jonas remarked.

'Yes, your Honour. It emitted a high pulse signature every four seconds and on closer inspection we found a makers mark.' Cam pointed to it on the screen. 'It's a prototype chip that has been altered to change its abilities though. You have the relevant literature on the chip in you file, Sir.' Jonas looked out of his depth, as if he'd dropped into the twilight zone.

'Thank you very much, Doctor Saroyan, that was most informative and frankly - quite _disturbing_…' Cam sat back down, seeing Caroline wink at her.

Jonas immediately started on Bench again, 'Mr Bench -,' he stood, 'you've said very little, if _nothing _during these proceeding. What say you now?' All eyes turned to him, willing him. 'Do you accept the defences scenario of how the hairs might have gotten into the trunk of Doctor Brennan's Prius given this new _visual _evidence? Do you accept that these emails cast _reasonable _doubt on the motive for procuring a poison that supposedly incapacitated Mister Sawyer? And what say you to this sworn affidavit by - Mister _**X - **_that confirms a deliberate framing of Doctor Brennan via a third party? That security footage evidence is shaky at best now, isn't it? And what about this last piece of evidence that Doctor Saroyan has shown us that proved Doctor Brennan was implanted with something most sinister? Do you have a case, Mr Bench..?'

Everybody knew Jonas was waiting for the prosecution to drop the charges rather than him having to dismiss the case: his mind was clearly made up. They all waited with baited breath for Bench to respond. The atmosphere trembled with tension.

Bench said, 'The prosecution… withdraws the charges -,' the rest of Bench's retraction was drowned out by the defence team's jubilant back slapping, and muted whoops of delight, 'against Doctor Brennan for the murder of Ethan Sawyer. _But _I'd like to beg the court…' Bench was cut off sharply by Jonas.

'Denied!' he barked, then ordered more gently, 'Sit down, Mr Bench.' He did like a reprimanded school boy, and slouched to his chair. Looking at his watch, Judge Jonas said, 'Its too late now to release Doctor Brennan tonight. _But _she is to be informed tomorrow of this decision and I will ensure the relevant paperwork is completed tomorrow ready for her immediate release. Mister Trope, you will collect it _personally _from me in these chambers at eleven AM _sharp _tomorrow morning!' Jonas closed the file, warning as he stood, 'Make sure _nothing _else happens to Doctor Brennan before she is released or you will have me to deal with. Dismissed.' Jonas added, as he slammed the door to his chambers, 'Good evening all!'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! **

**A/N: **Yey! Bones is free - nearly. Will her release backfire though; as Lin hinted at? Will Booth see Daniel again? And what has Nikolay got in his Samsonite case? Will Ange get her chips and what will be the price she has to pay for them? These and other questions will be answered in the next instalments of, Pelant. Hugs, Lebxeb. XX


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: **All characters portrayed here are fictional. No infringement of rights intended. Bones & its characters are a product of Fox Inc. & not mine. No financial gain is received from this work of fiction.

**Summary: **Bones is FREE! (Almost) Pelant still is too but the evidence against him is mounting - will it be enough though? "Nothing is what it seems…" - Seeley Booth.

**Rating: M **

**Thanks: Jsboneslover: **delighted you liked that word! Thx SVM 4 the stunning reviews & comments. Any theories about the postcards? XX. To all the **Guest **reviewers: Humble thx for UR comments & thoughts. *blushes* Hugs & XX's 2 all.

Ok. Pour the wine, sit back and relax, dear reader…

**Pelant**

**Chapter XIV**

**Blue Dragon Pagoda**

**Laiyuan**

**Dusk**

Ange couldn't remember being more nervous in her life. Yonyto had arrived earlier full of smiles and pleasantries but with no sign of any chips. They'd been brought to the spectacularly candle lit pagoda by a small bamboo punt that Leo manoeuvred efficiently through the water lilies. Lin had explained that from this point they would see a beautiful setting sun and could watch Leo fish for their supper. Her mother was playing the fine hostess and lavishing Yonyto with her very best hospitality and plenty of excellent Chinese red wine.

They all watched from the steps of the pagoda as the suns last rays dipped below the Blue Dragon mountains that surrounded Lin's home on all sides. As the sun back lit the mountains it threw into stark relief, the Great Wall on their loftly peaks. She couldn't deny it, it was a gorgeous sight and worth taking time out from her anxious thoughts to appreciate the spectacle.

Leo suddenly drifted out onto the lake: back on the punt lit by a single lamp hung from a wooden stand off the end of it. Lin explained for Ange's benefit, 'Arrh. Here he comes,' she said softly. 'Leo is using the traditional method that the cormorant fishermen of Guilin use to catch our supper this evening.' Yonyto looked extremely impressed and intrigued, watching Leo avidly. 'The lamplight attracts the carp to the surface much like the full moon does - and you'll see a large black bird - a cormorant, trained by Leo from a hatchling, perched on the long punt pole.' Ange nodded, sipping her wine, very impressed too by Leo's seemingly never ending talents. 'The cormorant is encouraged into the water and catches the fish but is unable to swallow as its gullet is gentle restricted by a twine noose.' Ange snagged her head back, thinking that was slightly unfair. Lin smiled warmly, glancing to Yonyto who didn't look perturbed by that information though. 'Don't concern yourself, Angela, the bird is unharmed, I can assure you. They are very fast and efficient swimmers that work in perfect syncopation with the fisherman. They know its easier for them to catch fish when urged to the surface and energy efficient - it will catch one and come to the surface then Leo will... Arh!' she exclaimed suddenly, 'do you see?' pointing. 'Leo will use the pole to lift the bird from the water now.'

'Haa. That's _incredible_,' Ange gushed, seeing Leo remove the fish from the cormorants gullet, and put it in a covered wicker basket which was draped in the water to keep it alive and fresh. Then she saw the bird eagerly dive again from the pole to catch another. 'Once Leo and his cormorant have caught enough fish -,' Lin went on, 'he'll remove the noose and feed the cormorant from the catch. Both parties are satisfied and well fed with minimal effort. A wonderful harmony between man and beast, don't you agree, Angela?'

'It is, Mom,' she agreed, feeling the gentle touch of Lin's palm on her back. Ange turned her head to smiled hard at her mother, grateful for the explanation. 'Thank you,' she said graciously.

'I'm glad you enjoyed _that _lesson,' she said extremely softly, with a delicate smile curving her lips, with a clear reference to yesterday. Yonyto quietly sipped his wine, hearing their affectionate exchange.

Fifteen minutes later Leo returned to the steps where they were standing to show the catch to Yonyto. Lin gestured to it, saying, 'Please, choose your fish.' Yonyto did inspecting the fish critically, while Ange watched on, but more interested in the cormorant perched on the pole. Lin saw her squat down to peer at the cormorant that seemed to be terribly proud of itself. 'You may touch him - he's extremely friendly. And I suspect will enjoy your admiration and touch.'

Ange tentatively caressed its damp jet breast feathers, asking, 'Does he have a name?'

Lin laughed softly, then informed, 'Cormorant.'

'U'oh,' Ange sounded and looked very disappointed. 'That's a bit _boring_. Leo, you need to give him a _proper _name,' said still stroking the bird. Leo flicked his eyes to Lin with a handsome smile, then nodded to Ange as if accepting the challenge. 'Something cute and noble like, Lincoln or…' Just as she said that the cormorant stretched out its wings, and flapped them several times, shaking his head from side to side. 'Ooops. I don't think he likes that,' Ange grimaced. Everybody laughed, then she suggested playfully to the cormorant, 'What about Genghis then?' He craned his neck, and waggled his throat in a clear display of acceptance. 'I think we got a winner,' Ange beamed over her shoulder to Lin and Yonyto. They nodded with charmed smiles.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**3AM**

Ange couldn't sleep. She tossed and turned constantly; unable to get comfortable. Her mind was constantly racing with doubt, frustration and questions. The evening had gone very well, she thought. The food prepared by Leo was outstanding. He'd smoked the fish on a wood burning grill on the large deck and prepared, what she was to discover, was a local delicacy called sticky bamboo rice. Which was roasted inside tubes of bamboo with cut handles Leo had prepared earlier from the surrounding forest. They'd had at least seven courses and as they ate the banquet Leo entertained them with music played by him on a stringed instrument, the haunting melodies of which drifted across the lake in the warm moonlit air. It was a magical evening but with no remote reference to chips. She was obsessing about what was happening back in the States with her friends, and missing Jack and Michael so much she ached.

In the hour before dawn she rolled again to see a note had been slipped under her thin door. She immediately jumped from her bed, and snatched it up, to read, "_Come to the pagoda. Mr Yonyto._" With her heart pounding and a sense of some relief and chronic anticipation, she slung the silk robe over her pyjamas, slipped on trainers and ran around the lake shore towards the pagoda. En route her mind went into overdrive; she prayed he had something to give her but she also feared what he may ask of her in return.

As she crossed the small jetty from the shore which led over the water to the pagoda she slowed down, and tried to calm herself by taking several deep controlling breaths. Only then did she realise in her haste, she was not properly dressed for this important meeting. She thought Yonyto may misconstrue the symbolism of what she was wearing and decide sex was on the table for negotiation. But she tossed that paranoid thought aside, and walked into the pagoda.

On entering the hundreds of candles were still flicking in the gentle breeze that seeped through the structure and she could see, dead centre on a table, a large chrome oblong case. She came to a standstill, and looked around. Yonyto was no where to be seen.

Ange went straight to the case, and flicked open the five latches, paused to take a deep breath she needed suddenly, then lifted the heavy lid. Her jaw slackened with what she saw inside.

From the spiral stairs that led to the next floor, a suited Yonyto slowly walked down the stairs. Spotting him, she closed the lid, and smiled at him nervously. He said nothing until he was directly opposite her on the other side of the case, and stood with his hands behind his back, then bowed deeply. Ange bowed respectfully too.

'Ms Montenegro -,' Ange nodded for him to continue, he went on but very slowly and cagily, 'I understand now, _you _understand the delicacy of this - situation.' She nodded firmly several times, and swallowed hard. 'We discovered the culprit who stole our technology and corrupted it. Inside is a mini disc video player and two discs. One marked A - the other B. Please, remove them.' Ange open the lid again, and took out the tiny player, and put it beside the case as carefully as if it was ticking bomb. He nodded. 'Please, insert disc A and push play,' he instructed. She did as requested with her heart pounding so hard she could hear the rush of blood in her ears, and throbbing through her tension-filled hands. She twitched on the spot, and waited.

The screen flickered to life then Ange saw a man sat behind a nondescript desk in room backed by a pale grey wall equally as nondescript. Her initial reaction was that this was a video of an interrogation of the culprit. Thankfully she saw no sign that he'd been beaten or coerced in any way. There was a date and time stamp on the bottom right hand side. On the table he was sat behind was a jug of water and an empty glass and nothing else. The man looked terrified, then he began to speak in remarkably good English, and Ange listened intently to his statement and full confession. Mr Yonyto walked away slowly as if disgusted by him; not wanting to look at his face, and peered over the lake as the man went on. He explained who he was; his address, age and how he was contacted, why he decided to corrupt the chips, how many he altered, and expressed his deep remorse for what he'd done and the humiliation he'd brought on the company and his country in doing so. At one point an arm came into view to pour water for him into the glass, and pushed it slowly towards the nervous young man. Ange noted on the wrist of the man who poured the water was a small number tattoo not unlike the tattoos the Nazi's put on concentrations camp victims. The culprit picked up the glass, and drank a little, then continued after swallowing hard. He then said he'd created, to the exact specifications again another chip, to hand over to the authorities in an attempt to assist in the capture of his accomplice.

Ange had the evidence she needed and her excitement almost overflowed in a whoop of triumph. She knew the chip was in the case: she'd seen it. This statement was damming but she was cautious and wondered if it was acceptable to an American court which tempered her enthusiasm slightly. She took a leaf out of Leo's book and said nothing, but flicked her eyes to Yonyto: who still had his back to her.

The video ended and Yonyto returned to the table, saying, 'Now - please insert disc B...' Ange hurriedly did so, and pushed play. This was even more interesting especially for her. It showed a clean room; and an original chip under high magnification, then the camera panned back to show the culprit who explained precisely what he'd done to alter the chip. Ange's excitement then did overflow.

'This is _remarkable _evidence, Mister Yonyto.' He nodded once stony faced. Then Ange returned to watch the culprit create the chip and it being placed in a sealed numbered unit which was in the case she now had possession of. The tape ended, and Ange blew out her remaining anxiousness in a breathy gush.

'We hope you have all the evidence you require to apprehend this criminal - Christopher Pelant who plagues you, your friends and comrades of the Untied States.' Ange nodded, knowing she had more than she'd ever expected to receive. Yonyto straightened his back as if standing to attention, as he concluded sombrely, 'It is with our humble apologies that these events caused so much distress. We hope that by giving you this honest account and the chips - you can forgive us…' Then he bowed from the waist with great solemnity, and held his position for five whole seconds.

Ange felt suddenly very emotional by his humility and the fact that this man had tainted everybody with his betrayal: and the people of China felt that humiliation equally. Ange realised it wasn't about the individual, but the whole that were disgraced: as her mother had tried to explain yesterday.

With the echo of her mother's words resonating in her mind, she became a fledgling diplomat as the dawn broke, and she said, 'Mister Yonyto -,' he came up from his bowed position to look into her eyes, 'with great respect and compassion we accept your humble, gracious, apology unreservedly.' Then she bowed low to him. When she came up he was smiling tentatively: she mirrored it.

His demeanour changed almost with the wind as he said, 'You will discover inside the case we have given two other chips which are _not _corrupted.' Ange grinned, flaring her eyes excitedly. 'At the very bottom you will find a document which is the transcript of this interview on this disc. It has been witnessed and signed by predigest lawyers from Beijing. We would appreciate if this episode could be kept as quiet as possible but we understand if it cannot.'

'I assure you, Mister Yonyto, I will do my utmost, whatever happens, to ensure your nation and your excellent company is represented in the most honourable way.' Ange replaced the compact video player carefully in the case, adding, 'You've been excessively generous here, I cannot thank you enough. However, without appearing rude or too forward, I understand it is customary to ask a favour of me after such a transaction. I return to the US shortly I would appreciate it now if you could give me some indication to what you may be calling on me to do…'

'You have been well versed in the ways of business here in China, Ms Montenegro. There is - _something _we would like you to do for us in return…' Ange nodded slowly, expressionless, and held her breath.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

Excitedly and eager to give the good news to her mother, Ange arrived back to the large deck. She placed the case carefully on the table, then went to open the sliding doors to Lin's bedroom. But she paused when she heard the unmistakable gentle sighs and moans of two people being intimate inside. Ange froze, then stepped back from the paper thin doors, revealing moving silhouettes of that love being made on the thin screens internally highlighted by many candles. It was obvious the only person she could be with was Leo; as Yonyto had already left. And Ange didn't know what she made of that revelation to begin with. So Ange stepped back further, then spun, trying not to watch those fascinating slow moving figures. She cover her ears with her palms, and closed her eyes, grimacing, knowing now what it was like to catch a parent in flagrante. It wasn't that they were loud, on the contrary, but he was half her age, and her house boy too, and she thought Lin was probably taking advantage of her powerful position with him, and that disgusted her a little.

Ange sat down at the table, deciding to distract herself by re-watching the videos she'd been given, and wait for them to finish. She had a surprisingly long wait and mentally calculated, much to her shame, Lin had been pleasured to completion at least four times in that hour in various ways. She'd twice been through both sets of video and the whole of the case before the silhouettes stopped dancing on the screen doors and the breathy sounds cumulated with her mother urging distinctly, 'Release, Leo.' Then they slowly ceased to move with elongated combined sighs of bliss.

Ten minutes or so later Ange heard movement from inside the room, then the doors were slid wide. Ange slowly turned her head with a, _caught ya, _expression on her face. Lin, wrapped in silk with a loosely covered, snoozing, Adonis-like Leo behind her on the bed, paused when she saw her. She turned slowly, and slid the doors closed again, then paused.

Lin turned on a smile, and sat down opposite Ange, saying cheerfully, 'Arrh. You got what you came for, I see.' Ange dropped her jaw in shock at her unperturbed expression.

'Mooom,' she whined, then pointed towards the bedroom, whispering, 'What are you doing - he's your _house _boy?'

Lin sighed deeply, reached for her cigarettes, and lit one. 'Leo is _not _my house boy, Angela. He's not paid, he's with me of his own free will.'

'He's _half _your age.'

'No he isn't. He's thirty four and don't be such a prude. I have physical needs, like any woman.'

'Eeewwww,' Ange chastised. Lin laughed softly, shaking her head at her daughter. 'Its kinda _icky_, if you ask me. What is it with him anyway? He's your gourmet cook, driver, helicopter pilot, fisherman, t'ai chi partner, butler, masseuse, _lover_… its not hard to see or _hear _he excels at all of those,' she said, implying she heard how good a sex partner he was too.

Lin rebuked, 'Don't be crass, Angela,' blowing out her smoke high into the air above her head in a loud blow.

'Come on, Mom, he's not for real, surely, no one is that fucking perfect?' Just then and obviously hearing, Leo slid the doors open, wrapped up in a robe. He bowed politely, closed the doors again, then walked softly away without looking at either of them directly. Lin visibly sagged, watching him walk off.

'Now look what you've done - you've _embarrassed _him.'

'How would I know - he never says a word! Is he _mute_?' Lin ignored her questions, and looked inside the open case on the table between them.

'Did Yonyto ask a favour of you?' Ange nodded, then sagged. Lin watched Ange look over the lake with the warm sun rising on her face. 'Can you deliver what he asked for?' Ange nodded slowly.

'Yeah - but it's probably gonna be illegal though.'

'Probably?' Lin queried. Ange waggled her head to suggest it could be perceived as such but she wasn't sure. 'Humm,' Lin pondered on Ange's body language for a few moments. 'Are you considering handing back all this evidence knowing now what his favour is?' Ange looked into her mother's eyes again, then shook her head. 'So I take that to mean you are willing to risk delivering on this favour for the greater good?' Ange didn't reply, as her mind was clearing, and sifting evidence in a logical way.

'There will be repercussions whether I deliver on this favour or not - rock, hard place, me in the middle,' Ange explained, gesturing with her hands her catch 22 position. Lin smiled.

'I understand completely. You'll have till you leave to make your final decision. I can return the case to Mr Yonyto for you. Then you can find another way if your feel you cannot risk these repercussion.'

Ange studied Lin as she took another draw on her cigarette. Then as Lin blew out that puff, Ange asked, 'What is it you do, Mom, I mean, _exactly _what do you do?'

'I run a business. A very successful one, as it happens,' Lin said evasively.

Ange sneered up her features, and shook her head at her clear avoidance in answering her, 'Too vague, Mom. What do - you - do in the course of your daily job - there, a straight question expecting a straight forward, honest reply, please.'

'I solve problems, Angela - usually very, _difficult _problems that most would rather either ignore or hide.' Ange narrowed her eyes at her, clearly making a connection. 'I come up with solutions to these problems, ease conflicts, or consciences in a practical way. Sometimes I even see problems before they arise and make suggestions to avoid those on coming issues. Individuals, companies, politicians, all sorts come to me and if I'm successful they pay me handsomely.'

Ange peered into Lin's eyes, and asked, 'Give me an example.' Lin sat back, then looked to the lake, contemplating Putting out her cigarette, she then nodded, and said, 'Let's walk then.' She stood, and gestured the route. Ange got up, and they began to circumnavigate the lake slowly.

Lin began with, 'Twelve years ago this country went through some political changes and its move into open relations with other nations caused a shift in policy. I was asked if I could resolve a problem which had potential to embarrass and cause offence worldwide if the truth were discovered. I went to visit the place where this problem was conceived and assessed the options. My remit was to disband a project that had been running for many, many years in a discreet way. That was when I first encountered Leo.' Ange looked into her profile, and nodded. 'What I'm about to tell you is dangerous information if you breathe a word it will mean you life and most definitely that of your family, me included,' she warned gravely. Ange gulped, and nodded her vow of silence.

'Leo was - _is _a product of a secret project to create the flawless ultimate human being. Let me clarify. He was conceived in a test tube. The donors were selected from the purest gene pool with specific characteristics. And then genetically modified to possess extremes of strength, intelligence, empathy, loyalty: all manner of what was considered at the time to be the perfect mixture of attributes. He was then implanted into a host and born. In a closed environment he was trained in martial arts, the arts, sports, languages, mathematics, hundreds of skills and techniques most with a military edge. He was a sponge for knowledge like the other test subjects. But the practitioners found, what they considered to be, a _flaw _manifest when most became teenagers or beyond. Most rebelled against their creators and the closed off environment they were forced to live in. My options were euthanasia of these subjects or placement with a politically trusted individuals. You see by creating a person with a rabid thirst for knowledge all he wanted to do was learn and serve. His loyalty was inherent, his empathy inbred; he is what he was made to be.' Ange nodded, having her curiosities and questions about Leo answered. 'I told him the project was being shut down, that I only had two options. He understood but told me all he wanted was a purpose in life or there was, to him, no point in living. The answer was so simple in the end. He's very astute and knew that I had a difficult job which was often very stressful and secrecy was paramount on occasion. He was fully aware that I was vulnerable in my position and because of some of the decisions I make, I've made enemies. So he offered his services as a bodyguard to me, therefore giving him purpose. He gets to fly my helicopter, travel, fish, build that pagoda and do all those things for me he takes great pride in. All the while fulfilling his reason for being.'

'That's some scary shit, Mom.' Lin quirked her lips to agree. Then she asked with a slight grimace, 'What about the sex thing?'

'The sex _thing_? You make our union sound _sordid_, Angela, and its nothing of the sort. He'd been with me for two years before he came to me one night, having never been intimate with anyone before. I won't deny it, of course, we'd grown very close in that time and he was privy to many secrets. But I was as shocked as you were this morning when he wanted to make love to me. I refused at first because I feared things would change between us and alter our working dynamic, and as you say, it was culturally a _little _icky. But one day - a year later, my life was physically threatened by one of my enemies. Leo disarmed, killed and disposed of them in three lightening fast moves, then he held me, comforted me as I wept with shock, and we kissed - and it didn't feel icky at all. We were physically intimate that evening. The next morning nothing had changed, except maybe I smiled a little more, as did he.'

Making her assessment, Ange smiled warmly at her, stating, 'You love him.'

Lin came to slow halt, and said with an enigmatic smile, 'Angela, he's _perfect _- how could I not?' They moved on again slowly with the whispering phoenix tail bamboo swaying and creaking around them.

Ange asked, 'Where are the others?'

'Leo is the last survivor to my knowledge. Most commited suicide or went insane and died in institutions. He speaks very little because he says he learns more when he listens. But when he does - its often something very profound.' Reaching the far side of the lake to the sprawling bungalow that sat gently on stilts, they paused to look back towards the island amid emerald reeds and iris. They could see Leo on the deck setting up their breakfast. Lin said, clearly emotional, watching him, 'He has no one else but me - and when I've gone…' Lin trailed off as her voice cracked, and dropped her head, turning her face away from Ange, not wanting her to see her brewing tears.

Ange touched her forearm, saying softly, 'Ooh, Mom.' Lin patted her hand on her forearm sweetly, then looped her arm through hers, and walked on, regaining her composure. Ange's mind ran amok though: pondering why her mother would talk about when she's gone, and thought worriedly there was something she wasn't telling her.

Lin went on, with a smile, and stiffening her spine, 'So I've left him my fortune and the company barring what provisions I've made for you and Michael. And I've left him this place -,' she gestured over the lake and towards the bungalow, 'because this is where he found a home and where he's most happy - our little sanctuary. He's unaware of what I've done in the event of my death, and I _don't _what him to know until that time comes.'

Ange nodded, squeezing her arm to her flank to assure her. 'Ok. One more question, are you ill, Mom?'

'Haa! _No_,' Lin assured solidly, then confessed, 'I'm hungry though and in _desperate _need of shower,' waggling her brows with a positively sultry smile.

Shocked, Ange wailed, 'EEWWW! T-M-I, Mom!'

'Haa! Come on, Angela, lets _swim _back.' Lin stripped off her robe, it pooled at her feet, and dived straight in off the nearest jetty. Ange dropped a hip, then thought: _what the hell_. She stripped, and dived in too.

Hearing Angela's reprimand carry the water, Leo looked up, seeing them laughing as they breast stroked towards the deck side by side. He rushed off to get them towelling robes, with a charmed smile on his handsome face.

Swimming back, Lin told Ange, 'Leo suggested that you might enjoy learning to fish with Genghis after breakfast. He'll take you out on his punt.' Ange chuckled, totally up for that, and thrilled the name for cormorant had stuck. 'He's probably already arranged a diplomatic flight back to the US for you this afternoon too.' Ange glanced at her, amazed by their efficiency. Lin smiled wryly, seeing her astonishment, rolling onto her back, and gently swam. 'I know you want to return as soon as possible - and this way your luggage will not be checked at either end. The record of the flight can be kept quiet as well. We don't want Pelant knowing you're _nipping _at his heals, do we?' she said with a flare of her steely eyes.

'You're _incredible_, Mom, and a great couple. _Thank _you.'

'Umm. We do make a _formidable _team and you're welcome, Darling. I'm just delighted everything has turned out right for you.' Reaching the deck, Lin drew herself out of the water and was immediately cocooned in a soft wrap by Leo. 'Thank you, Leo,' she said, brushing her palm over his cheek in a rare open display of affection.

Now it was her turn, Ange warned. 'You're not to _look_, Leo.' He sniggered bashfully, closed his eyes, turning his head to the side, holding out the robe. Her mother laughed. Ange pulled herself out, not as elegantly as Lin, then slipped her arms into the robe, noting a small number tattoo on the inside of his wrist. 'Thank you, Leo,' she said too, tying up her robe thoughtfully. He bowed, and gestured to the breakfast he'd set up. 'This all looks delicious,' she remarked, taking a seat.

Lin sat too, while Leo poured tea, and she asked, 'Did you arrange the flight, Leo?' He nodded, stirring her sugar in silently. Ange watched him closely, then her mother, as the nickels started to drop. 'Angela would _love _to go fishing with you and Genghis.' He smiled hard at Ange, clearly delighted she had accepted his invitation, then he drifted off to prepare.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**An Hour Later**

'I've never fished and I like this idea because there's no squirming maggots to put on a hook.' Leo smiled warmly, as he punted them to the middle of the lake with an eager Genghis perched on the end of the punt. While Leo prepared to release Genghis to her astonishment Leo finally spoke softly, 'Miss Angela, please, stand up, take the pole, and gently throw Genghis from it towards the water.' His silky voice was rich, deep and soft. It reminded her of the sensation when a warm blanket is wrapped around you on frosty morning, and made her smile at how pleasant and comforting it was.

'Are you sure - just _throw _him?' He nodded to confirm, so Ange did as instructed. Genghis immediately arrowed his body, and pierced the water like a jet torpedo. 'Ha! Look at him go!' In the crystal clear water they could see him dart around, looking for fish as diamond sparkling bubbles rose to the surface from between his feathers. Then he popped up empty beak-ed. Leo motioned for her to scoop him up and throw him again, which she did.

Then Ange ventured, watching Genghis stalk his pray, 'My Mom has done some things in the line of her business which she struggles with, hasn't she?' Leo lost his smile a little, then nodded once. 'That man on the tape said he was _angry _because his sister and brother were on a train that crashed and the Government had buried it and _them _without saving who they could. He wanted to kick back at somebody, his company, _anybody _in his grief and outrage at the establishment and found somebody wanting to do the same.' Leo sat down, looking into the water. '_She _proposed the decision to bury the train and feels responsible for what happened, in some part, in the States, which directly affected me and my friends.' Again Leo nodded to confirm. 'So she's tried to solve the problem she believes she created and you helped her do it. You were on that tape - I saw your tattoo, Leo.' She motioned towards it with her head. 'She didn't ask me about Mister Yonyto favour either because she already _knew _what it was going to be, didn't she? I also suspect that favour, when I repay it, will solve a few of her problems. But she was never going to tell me that, was she?' Leo shook his head, as he took a fish from the gullet of Genghis, and put it in the wicker basket. 'Mom also knew the chips would come because she'd _insisted _they hand them over.'

Watching the meandering trail of bubbles rise and break the surface from Genghis' feathers, Ange reflected hauntingly, 'From every perspective my Mother has a privileged life; she's respected, has money, power, influence, helicopters, boats, _anything _she desires - even you, the perfect partner.' Leo flicked his eyes to her then away again. 'But in truth, she lives in a beautiful gilded cage she can never escape from - neither can you. She can't leave because she knows too much about the _dirty _side of life here, and of course, she's sometimes added to the slush. They won't release her she's too valuable to them which proves she's not quite powerful enough.' Ange scooped up, then threw Genghis back into the water. 'At least she's not lonely in her pretty cage.' Leo smiled cautiously at her, Ange deepened hers, and said, 'She loves you, you know - does she tell you that?' Leo casts his eyes to the water again, staying noncommittal. 'You know her better than me, Leo, will she want me to know what she's done for my friends.' Leo looked up then, shook his head. 'Ok. I'll say nothing then.' Genghis popped up again with another fish, and Ange scooped him onto the end of the bamboo pole. Leo removed his noose, and Genghis swallowed his prize.

'I love her,' he said sweetly, bashfully. 'This life has taken a toll on her inside.' Leo gently tapped his knuckles over his heart. 'Please, do not leave it so long to return to our pretty cage again.' Ange felt tears well in her eyes, having her gut suspicions confirmed, and nodded her promise…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Correctional & Remand Centre**

**12.35PM**

Sat on her stripped bed with the grey blanket folded neatly at the end, with a small full case beside her, Bones checked her watch for the umpteenth time. With thoughts of home and Booth racing around her mind, she checked her emotions. She wanted to go home obviously, but she was dreading it too. Her stomach was healing but she was only half way through her course of antibiotics which meant she'd have to hide them from Booth. More secrets, she thought. She'd have to hide too her stomach scars because she knew how it would devastate him to know she'd been cut so badly which marred her skin he loved so much. She feared what reaction he might have, and decided it best to avoid letting him see them for as long as possible.

What she dreaded most was her own reaction to stepping back into Christine's nursery without her being there and not knowing when she might be returned. In some respects she'd been protected in prison from the events outside it. And she'd become used to her environment and routine, and knew it was bound to take time to adjust. She had a mental list of things she needed to do when she got out and so many thanks to give to people that it was so long she hadn't finished writing it. That in it of itself was almost overwhelming.

She checked her watch again, then looked around the bare walls of the cell. In a macabre way she was going to miss this small bland room. Much had happened to her in here that would never leave her. The walls had witnessed her depths of despair, physical pain, but moments too of laughter, joy and emotional bonding.

She checked the time again, then got up, and went into the common room where most were either watching the large TV or playing ping pong. Some inmates were chatting around the central tables, gossiping or writing letters to loved ones. Seeing everyone engrossed, she turned away without saying goodbye just as the burly guard that accompanied the Governor everywhere walked towards her. 'Ready to go?' he asked, with a barely visible smile. Bones nodded, and went to retrieve her case from the cell, tingling inside.

When she came out of the cell a large bunch of cheering, clapping women whistled and whooped their jubilant goodbyes to her, edging down the corridor. _"Go get the fucker, Temps!"_ one hollered. "_Give Boothy-baby one for me!" _another bellowed over the din. In a flash of unleashed emotion, Bones dropped her case, and ran into them all, and gave them all a group hug, with tears mixing with her smiles.

'_Beee _good, but _if _ya can't…' she warned, wagging a finger in their collective smiling faces.

They all hollered back, '…Be good, be FUCKING CAREFUL! HAAA!' Bones picked up her case again, and was back patted all the way through the doors. She gave them all one last wave, a promise to write, and a solid smile as doors relocked behind her.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Governors Office**

**13.03PM**

Her guard tapped the door with his knuckles, then a buzzer sounded and a green light came on above the door. He opened the door for her, and nodded for her to go in.

With a welcoming smile, and standing up from behind her desk, the Governor reached forwards to offer her hand. Bones shook it politely, but looked around the room, noting with some sadness, nobody was here to greet her.

'Please, sit down, Doctor Brennan. We just have some formalities to go through before you are officially released.' Bones sat immediately, and placed her case beside the chair; her euphoria subsiding. It was then Bones finally found out her name from the brass plaque on her desk. It read: _Gov. Antonia Lopez. _

Before Antonia, or Tony as she was called by her friends, could say any more, another door swung open and banged into the wall, making them jump in their chairs. Then in barrelled a jubilant Caroline, pointing at Bones, bellowing, 'Get that _FER-REEE _Doctor a large glass of _fancy _French wine!' Laughing, Bones leapt to her feet, and embraced Caroline so hard she staggered back, and laughed, cuddling her back. 'Ok-ok! Save that sugar for someone who deserves it.'

'Where's Booth?' Bones asked, finally releasing Caroline from her clutch.

Perching on the Governors desk, Caroline grimaced, saying, '_Slight _hitch in proceedings, Cher…' Bones lost her smile instantly.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**A/N: Whaaaah! **What's the hitch _now_? Yes, and where _is _Booth? Will Ange get on the plane with the case; committing herself to something illegal? Yet more intrigue but answers will follow shortly in the next instalments of: **Pelant**. Brace yourselves. Encouragement always appreciated. Hugs, Lebxeb XX.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: **All characters portrayed here are fictional. No infringement of rights intended. Bones & its characters are a product of Fox Inc. & not mine. No financial gain is received from this work of fiction.

**Summary: **Bones is Free! Pelant is too but planning something nasty - will it be enough though? "Nothing is what it seems…" - Seeley Booth.

**Rating: M **

**Thanks: Suki: **You got it - enjoy. Thx XX. **PARMA: **Glad U liked the Mom angle. Thx 4 poppin' by. Hugs. **Guest:** Pics -u bet! Keep your rollocks dry! XX.

**Pelant**

**Chapter XV**

**The Governors Office**

…**. **'Hey, don't look so worried, Cher,' Caroline eased, seeing Bones face fall and the happiness drain from her eyes. 'It's just all this happened so fast and late yesterday, that cute man of yours and his half pint are runnin' 'round like headless chickens to throw you a surprise welcome home bash.'

'Well, its not a surprise now, is it?' Antonia chagrined, signing a form with a smile though. Caroline sneered at her in a playful way.

'Aren't you done with that yet, Tony? Come on, this girl wants to get outta here!' Tony sneered at her now, while placing the form in front of Bones, and handed her a pen.

'That's it - sign on the dotted line,' Caroline urged, standing up again, and grabbed Bones' case. Bones signed her name hard enough to go through the three copies, noting her hand was trembling with her adrenalin rush. Not only that, she suddenly felt very light-headed. She handed back the pen, and looked into Antonia's eyes.

'Thank you, Mrs Lopez. I know you protected me as much as you could within your guidelines.' Bones offered her hand again, which Lopez took, and shook solidly.

'All the best, Doctor Brennan. And thank _you - _for all you did here,' she said sincerely. Caroline cocked a brow, intrigued by that exchange. Bones stood, tucked away her copy of the release form in the back pocket of her jeans, acknowledging her thanks with a tiny smile. But as she stood Bones swayed. Caroline lost her smile, and looped her arm through hers to steady her.

'Its ok, Cher -,' Caroline said compassionately, and surprisingly softly, 'its just all the excitement catching up with you. Lean on me. You'll feel better when you get out into that _sweet, _steaming air of Washington DC.' Then she began to lead Bones out through the door she'd barged in through. Caroline threw over her shoulder, 'Friday at eight, Tony, yeah?'

'Yep, see you at eight. Good luck…' Then Tony closed the door.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Simultaneously**

**Booth & Bones' Home**

**13.17PM**

Booth, Parker, Cam, Sweets, Shaw and Jack with Michael on his back in a carrier, were all frantically putting up welcome home banners, clumps of balloons and reels of yellow ribbons. The lounge looked like a rainbow bomb had gone off and splattered the place with gaudy colours. Bowls of dip and chips were strewn about and crates of cold beer and chilled champagne in buckets waited to be popped in celebration. They were all in high spirits and had already opened a few beverages to lubricate the buoyant atmosphere.

'It looks great, Guys,' Booth gushed, looking around, hitching up his jeans, unable to shake the smile off his face.

Cam nearly spat her beer out over the carpet. 'It looks a complete _shambles _but - she's gonna _love _it,' she charmed, slumping to the couch, and crossing her legs.

'What time did Miss Caroline say she'd be here?' Parker asked, dipping a chip, and crunching it loudly.

'About half an hour,' Booth said, checking his watch again, then made some final adjustments to a particular unruly spray of balloons. 'Help yourself, Guys. Relax. We got plenty of time now.' Everybody relaxed, and sat around talking, drinking and waiting.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Pelant's Residence**

Pelant put the plug in the bath, and turned on the hot tap. The boiling water began to fill the bathroom with cumulus clouds of steam. As it began to fill he poured in some bubbles, then went back to his bedroom next door after closing the bathroom door. He checked his watch, and cracked a grin, gathering what he needed for this afternoons adventure. Once everything was tucked into a black holdall, he zipped it up, and returned to the bathroom with it, re-closing the bathroom door behind him.

Across the street Franks checked his watch, saying, 'Shift change is late. What time do you have?' He pulled on his jacket, and grabbed his keys, eager to leave.

Strand stretched out his back on the bed, 'One minute past two. They'll be here in a minute - chill,' he said calmly, then cheekily, 'Are you on a promise or something? Is Sunday your day to get down and dirty with…?' he trailed off, when they heard footsteps coming up the back stairs.

**(( **Pelant mean while pulled away the bath panel, and from underneath removed a manikin, and quickly placed it in the near boiling water, leaving an arm draped over the side. He put the holdall over his back, and left the bathroom again, running into the kitchen, lifted his trap door, and dropped down the hole in three seconds flat. The trap door snapped closed above him, and left him in complete darkness. Pelant grinned smugly again. **)) **

Franks poked his head around the bedroom door, while Strand began to gather his things ready for the hand over now.

'You're _late_. Get a move on,' Franks quickly waved them into the room, and stepped back. Agent's Pinner and Deakin gave him the finger playfully, and wandered in, not rushing to take over.

'Anything to report?' Deakin asked idly, reading the log taken by Strand over the last six hours, seeing nothing exciting, and quirked his lips.

'N'aah. He got up late and now he's running a bath.' Pinner looked through the heat sensing binoculars, and snagged his head back.

'I can't see jack shit now - the bathroom looks like a sauna.' Then he said, looking back to Franks and Strand, 'Anyway you two get going. Have a good weekend - what's left of it.' They both smirked at his comment, then left them to it.

Deakin lay on the bed, with a heavy sigh, then writing in the log, as he droned aloud, 'Agent's - Deakin - and - Pin-neeer - relieve - Strand - and - Franks - at - fourteen o three. Taar-get - in bath.' Pinner shot him a wry smile, huffing at his boredom already.

Deakin then asked with potential excitement, 'Did you bring the doughnuts?' Pinner grimaced, and ducked as Deakin threw a pillow at him, reprimanding, 'For _fuck _sake, Deakin - It was your turn!'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! **

**Simultaneously**

**En Route**

Driving, and glancing to Bones, who had the window fully down and was breathing in the fresh, free air, Caroline asked, 'Are you sure you wanna do this right _now_?' Bones looked to her, and nodded. 'Oookay. I'll take the next exit then.'

'Thank you, Caroline - I really appreciate this.'

Twenty minutes later Caroline pulled up outside a private medical facility, and turned the engine off. 'Do you want me to come in with you?'

'No. I'm feeling much better now, thank you.' Bones got out, and walked into the hospital reception. Caroline watched her walk away, noting how much weight she'd lost and that her jeans were virtually hanging off her hips, and shook her head.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Booth & Bones' Home**

**14.21PM**

The atmosphere was still excitable. Music was being played to accompany their singing and two bottles of champagne were empty and in the recycle bin along with several beer bottles. A little light headed, Booth looked at his watch, seeing it was an hour and half passed when she was expected back. 'Do you think the traffic's bad or something?' he asked Shaw, who was sat crossed legged on the floor in front of the fireplace, playing Go Fish with Parker. She shrugged her shoulders.

'Do you want me to check? I can ring the prison if you want.'

'N'ahh. She'll be here in a minute. I expect Caroline's driving like a _girl_. We'll give it another half hour, then call.' Shaw gave him a bolstering smile, nodding.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Simultaneously **

**Private Airstrip**

**Outskirts Of Beijing**

**China**

Squeezing Lin tight one last time before she got on the plane, Ange whispered in her ear, 'Thank you, Mom - for everything. I'll be back soon and I'll bring Michael and Jack. Leo can teach Jack to fish with Genghis. He'll love that.' Lin nodded solidly in her shoulder, and gripped her tighter, feeling her eyes blanching.

'We'd like that _very _much,' she managed. 'You're always welcome. Call me when you arrive home - promise?'

'I promise,' she confirmed, as Lin caressed her cheek adoringly. Ange kissed the inside of her soft palm twice, then her lips tenderly, unable to check her tears. Still holding Lin's hand, she smiled at Leo, and tilted her head as he handed her a linen handkerchief. She laughed softly through her tears, and hugged him close with her free arm. She whispered, 'Hide her _fags_, will you?' Then she kissed his cheek. He squeezed her close, and nodded.

The engines of the small jet got up to speed, and the co-pilot came to the top of the steps, which was her cue. Ange smiled hard one last time at both of them, as she put her mother's hand carefully into Leo's. Lin squeezed his hand, and leant on him, as she watched Ange pick up the oblong case at her feet. 'I love you - I'll call, ok?'

Lin nodded, watching her climb the steps. 'I love you _too_,' Lin called after her before she disappeared inside the fuselage. Never having heard her mother say that to her, moved her deeply and almost dissolved her. Ange paused, letting those precious words sink in. She handed the case to the co-pilot, trotted back down steps quickly, and into her arms again, then crushed her close.

'Thanks, Mom,' she whispered directly into the shell of her ear, kissed her cheek, then tore herself away, and up the steps. Leo immediately put his arm around Lin's waist, and held her close, handing her a handkerchief as they watched the plane taxi then take off.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

As Leo held the door of the limousine open for Lin to get in a couple with a small baby walked passed, having just got off another private jet, and looked a little lost. Leo bowed, and smiled pleasantly at them. 'Umm. Hi. Where can I get a cab from?' Max asked him.

Lin peered out, and asked, 'Where are you going?'

'Oh. Hello.' Max peered in, adding, 'Into Beijing - the Hilton.'

Lin smiled, knowing that hotel was only two blocks from her. 'We can give you a lift, if you'd like - we're going into the city now. There's plenty of room.' Lin gestured to the available seats.

'Really? That's extremely kind of you. Shall we, Darling?' Maria smiled, and nodded to accept the invitation, noting the lady had been crying and still clutched a damp handkerchief in her hand.

'Wonderful. Would you kindly retrieve their luggage, Leo?' He bowed, and went off to get it, as they slipped into the limousine. 'What a _beautiful _child. I've just said goodbye to mine. So please excuse my _puffy _eyes,' Lin said charmingly…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Residence Of Assistant Director Thomas**

**14.45PM**

With his car keys in hand and his wrapped tux over his arm, AD Thomas sweetly pecked his wife's cheek. 'The limousine is coming to pick you up at seven, ok?' She crinkled her nose, and nodded, opening the front door for him.

'I _know_, Dear,' she said a little condescendingly, 'you've told me a hundred times already.' Then she muttered under her breath, 'Heaven knows why you have to go into the office on a _Sunday_.' He pouted at her, then aiming his keys towards the Mercedes, he unlocked it.

'I've told you -,' he said, walking towards the car with her following, 'its about this big case we're working on - there's been some movement on it and they need me.' He hung up his suit in the rear, and closed the door. 'It sounded urgent, Darling.' He could see she wasn't placated about arriving alone to the ball tonight. He held both her hands, and with a suave smile, purred, 'Look - I _promise _I'll be on the steps waiting to adulate as you slip out of the limousine like Greer Garcon onto the red carpet in your _gorgeous _gown.' He pecked her cheek again, holding her lips to her for a few moments. 'You're gonna blow them away.' Mrs Thomas grinned coyly, easily flattered, and brushed off his shoulders with her palms.

Wagging a finger in his face, she cajoled, 'You promise to dance _every _waltz with me?' He slipped into the drivers seat with a smile.

'You got it,' he pledged, then cautioned, 'But you might wanna wear steal toe-capped pumps then.' He winked, and turned the engine over. She chuckled, and closed his door. The window came down as he reversed down the drive, adding brightly, 'See ya later, twinkle toes!' She kept waving with a smile as he drove off down the street, and she couldn't see him anymore.

Walking back into the house, she muttered to herself with a knowing smile, 'Greer Garcon? More like Monroe, just you wait 'n' see…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**14.58PM**

Pelant saw AD Thomas' sky blue Mercedes roll around the junction as he walked towards him on the sidewalk, knowing he'd timed himself perfectly. He also congratulated himself for learning Thomas was a creature of habit when he drove himself to work every day. The street he'd planned his hijack on was deserted. All of the secluded properties were set back from the street and had either gated entrances, high fences or walls and were well spaced out: so it was a perfect spot for a little mischief.

Travelling slowly the Mercedes got to within ten feet: Pelant took a deep breath in preparation, then stepped out casually in front of his vehicle, as if he was jaywalking across the quiet suburban street. Slamming on his brakes, Thomas barked, 'Shit!' But Pelant trusted the German brakes, and pretended he'd been hit, by slinging his holdall onto the hood.

Hearing a thud as the man fell on his hood, Thomas swore again. Instantly terrified, he leapt out of the car to assist the young man still sprawled on his hood with a black holdall in his hand. He groaned, and slid off to stand woozily, acting the part. Shaken, Thomas came to his side, and placed his hand on his back, and asked, looking into his face, 'Jesus, are you ok?'

From inside his other hand Pelant stabbed a cocktail of drugs from an auto injector syringe into Thomas' stomach. Thomas flinched when he felt the infusion, confused, he looked into Pelant's eyes, as his began to dilate and vision blur. Pelant then looped his arm around him as Thomas began to sway, and bundled him into the back of the car. He jumped into the drivers seat, the drove off at a sedate pace, squeezing his thickened crotch with a hoarse groan of arousal with his free hand. After a couple of miles, Pelant peeled off his cosmetic nose and eyebrows, dropped them in his bag, and smiled as Thomas continued to moan on the rear seats…

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**16.00PM**

**Surveillance Team II**

'This is the longest fucking bath in history!' Pinner said, peering through the infrared binoculars.

'Hopefully he's _drowned_.' Then thinking it was a strangely long bath, Deakin remarked, 'The water must be freezing by now…' Pinner gave way to Deakin as he came to the window, and peered through the lenses.

Pinner horsed, 'Whooa! What's that pulling up outside?'

'A Hummer. Quick - write this down.' Pinner grabbed the log and pen. Deakin went on, 'Stretch black Hummer arrives at target's residence. Time: sixteen twenty. Women, bleached blonde, svelte, red high heels and - wait, _two _blonde women, approximately mid twenties, exit vehicle - one carrying a suit bag, the other smoking. Both subjects wearing short black, tight cocktail dresses, one knocks on target's door. Phew - they got some _great _ass - look at this,' Deakin drooled, forgetting all about the bath. Pinner peered across the road as Pelant, wrapped in a robe, swung open the door with a smile, and waved the women in. 'Shit - he didn't drown then…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**En route**

**Caroline's Car**

**16.32PM**

'Cher, its late, we have no phone to call them, they'll be puttin' out APB on my car if we don't go there _right _now. And I'm not paid enough to get this heap-o-junk out of the pound. The fine is more than the car's worth!'

'I _must _go to see them first, Caroline. Please, drive me there or I'll get a cab.'

She sighed heavily. 'All right - but this is the _last _stop. Then I'm taking you home.' Bones nodded once, as Caroline crunched the stiff gears, and put her foot down.

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**Booth & Bones' Home**

**18.35PM**

Rubbing his knuckles in his other palm, Booth paced the floor, grunting, 'She's well over _three _hours late - _missing_. I shoulda' gone myself. If he's got her I'll…' Parker's chin started to quiver, seeing Booth increasingly upset and agitated. The party atmosphere had long since dissipated, and worried faces all around the room replaced the smiling ones.

Cam jumped in to calm him, 'Seeley, calm down. I expect that clapped out of heap of Caroline's broke down somewhere. Somewhere they can't get to a phone. We know she signed out of the prison safely. And they have put out an APB on her licence plate. We'll hear something soon.'

Shaw tugged Sweets arm gently, and nodded discreetly towards Parker, who he saw quickly flick a tear off his cheek. Sweets went over to him, and sat beside him. Parker glanced to his side but still with his head down. Sweets whispered, 'Its gonna be ok, Dude. Why don't you show me the back yard. I hear you gotta tree house. That's pretty damn cool.'

Parker nodded, then got up, happy to get out of the heavy atmosphere for a while. Sweets winked at Shaw as he followed Parker out into the back yard.

Booth lent on the kitchen island, knocking the kickboard with the end of his boot, tapping the seconds away, with his head hanging between his tense shoulders. Shaw could see he was about ready to explode; his lean body was taut and pumped with tension and fear, and his mind tormented. He was breathing rapidly too, in an attempt calm himself but it obviously wasn't working. Jack picked up Michael who was sleeping on a chair, and took him into a guest bedroom, staying with him, and out of the way for now. Laying next to his sleeping Son, he stared at the phone on the nightstand, willing it to ring to give them some news.

Shaw and Cam sat opposite each other, half watching Booth and each other in silence. Just then the front door opened wide and Caroline came in like a tornado, carrying Bones' case. 'Somebody _get _me a pina colada and I want _two _cherries!' Booth snapped straight, and stared at Bones as she stepped slowly over the threshold.

She smiled gently, seeing all the crazy decorations, then looked to Booth. 'Sorry we're late. This looks - lovely,' she said not sounding certain, but charmed nonetheless by the effort.

Booth charged to her, and ranted in her face, 'Where the _fucking _hell have you been?' He slammed the door closed behind her, staring into her eyes, burning up with rage. Bones stepped back. He stepped forwards, with his fists clenched menacingly. Bones searched his wild eyes for the Booth she knew and loved. Shaw and Cam jumped to their feet, fearing what he was going to do. Bones discreetly put her hand up to halt their advance, not taking her eyes from his. She knew what they were worried about but she never feared for herself with Booth. They froze as Booth went on gesticulating his rant, and sneering, 'We've been going _fucking _crazy. We thought _he'd _got you. You left hours ago! We put out an APB and - where the hell have you been - answer me - _answer _ME?' Bones could see he'd sent himself nearly insane with worry and fear: the weeks of separation had taken a deeper toll on him she realised, than they had her. She judged that was probably because he'd had far more to deal with, and she ached understanding that now.

People started appearing on Bones periphery but she didn't take her eyes out of Booth's, and gently went to touch his chest to calm him. But he didn't feel her touch. He stepped forwards again, and pounded his fist against the door either side of her head, repeating with his lips almost touching hers, '_Answer _ME, Bones!' His breath batted her eyelashes as he caged her with his quivering physique to the door.

A physical connection was what was needed, an invasion of herself into him, to reassure, empathise and console, just like he'd done for her, she realised. Bones did the only thing she thought might bring him back from the dark terrifying place he was in, and kissed him, full on, passionately. She wrapped her arms around his torso simultaneously, and spun him so his back was slammed against the door, so their positions were reversed, then she French kissed him deeply. She felt his gasp of shock fill her mouth, and drenched him with her essence.

Caroline cocked a slow brow, pouring herself a very large glass of wine. Cam and Shaw looked at each other, then turned their backs discreetly, inspecting the fireplace with wry smiles perking their cheeks. Hearing the commotion, Parker had arrived by this time, and beamed happily when he saw Bones. He started to run over but was yanked back by his shirt collar by Sweets, who shook his head at him not to interrupt yet. Jack bounced Michael on his hip with a relieved smile behind them, then walked away too, with colossal relief to see her safe finally.

Bones slid her palm under his T-shirt over his thundering heart, nipped her nails in, making him shudder, while tussling with his malt-y tongue. She changed her angle, slipped her hand back out from under his shirt, and felt for his hand. Once she'd got it, she slid her fingers between his, and gripped. Leaning in tighter, she seductively rubbed her torso into his until her heart was directly over his, and could feel it pounding. Moaning, he began to break away for air but she forced herself deeper, and slowly began to win him over. She knew she was succeeding because he started to relax and she could feel the tension in him start to ebb away, and his heart slow. Their tongues became soft instruments of pleasure that swirled gently and played a soft, almost forgotten, melody.

"_Bones, its my Bones - Oh, she's here, she's safe,_" he chanted internally, feeling his strength and anger drain out through his extremities, leaving him weak as he was forced to absorb her.

Booth began dripping down the door onto his knees, destabilized as the high voltage in his muscles crackled off in the surrounding air. Bones held on to him as they slipped slowly down together. She refused to break the kiss till she was absolutely sure he was calm again, and his temporary insanity became a ridiculous memory. She felt his warm tears mingle with hers on her cheeks, and caressed his hair with another hand to comfort him. Feeling her do that, he crushed her to him; it hurt but she didn't care, hearing him finally croon his relief.

'Are they gonna be ok?' Parker whispered to Sweets, looking concerned again as they held on to each other savagely but collapsing to the floor. Sweets nodded, with a cute smile, then covered Parker's eyes with his palm. He just dodged it to keep watching, with a bashful grin.

Caroline had seen enough. 'Ok, we get it - you're pleased to see each other. Is there anything else to eat? I don't like chips and dip _and _I'm watching my figure.' Cam, Shaw, Sweets and Parker jaws all hung incredulously. She batted away their expressions with, 'A bodalicious babe gotta start somewhere...' Hearing her, Bones laughed softly into his mouth, then broke their deep longing kiss, but continued to smooch all over his lips and cheeks, kissing away his tears. He couldn't stop buttering her lips with tender pecks either, manically searching her face with his eyes, triple checking it was her and she was safe.

'I'm sorry, I went to see Tasmin, then Daisy's parents - I just _had _to go, Booth. The last time I saw Tasmin she was…' she trailed off as Booth nodded his understanding, slumping back to the door, still holding her tightly, and kissing. Booth looked completely drained of energy, but was finally smiling with what strength he had left. She caressed his jaw, saying, 'Our mighty huts looks beautiful - thank you. This is a wonderful welcome home.' Booth looked pained now for his outburst, and spoiling her homecoming, and rolled his head sorrowfully. She lifted his chin, and grinned at him. 'It _is_,' she assured, tenderly kissing his swollen, wet lips.

Suddenly Parker grabbed a blow out and blew hard, catapulting an ear-piercing screech into the air, which made Caroline nearly fall off her stool with shock, and slop her valuable wine. Everybody then exchanged glances, then chorused loudly, 'Welcome Home!' Then they all gathered around the reunited couple. Bones stood up, pulling Booth up with her, and laughed, still holding him close.

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**The First Gulf War, Veterans Charity Ball**

**Downe House Hotel**

**Washington DC**

**Black Tie Event **

**A Thousand Dollar A Plate**

**19.31PM **

A stretch Hummer pulled up and the door was opened by a concierge. Pelant, in pristine tuxedo, gallantly helped his two dates out of the overbearing Hummer. They giggled, and pulled their dresses down over their asses. One of them threw down the stub of her cigarette, and screwed it out on the carpet with the tip of her stiletto. Pelant offered his arms for them to take, which they did, and with an emboldened smile, he looked up the fancy, well-lit hotel, then walked up the steps. The Hummer drove off.

A blacked-out limousine arrived outside the grand portico and sweeping steps of the hotel now, which were rippled by a perfectly fitted scarlet carpet. The plush carpet was edged by suited press photographers covering the social event. The capped driver got out, and opened Mrs Thomas' door, then offered her his hand. She slipped hers into his, and elegantly got out, feeling like a million dollars. She looped her dainty purse over her arm, and looked around for her husband, but couldn't see any sign of him…

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**A/N: **Phew**… **Bones is home at last! What's Pelant done to AD Thomas, if anything? And what's he doing at the charity event with two hookers? When will Ange get back and what will she come home to? How will Bones adjust to freedom? Find out these answers and more in the next instalments of, **Pelant**. All comments and theories greatly appreciated. Hugs, Lebxeb XX.


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: **All characters portrayed here are fictional. No infringement of rights intended. Bones & its characters are a product of Fox Inc. & not mine. No financial gain is received from this work of fiction.

**Summary: **Bones is home, but Pelant up to something, something evil. "Nothing is what it seems…" - Seeley Booth.

**Rating: M **

**Thanks: to everyone that keeps encouraging me - it's all your fault. **

**Pelant**

**Chapter XVI**

**Booth & Bones' Home**

Bones looked around all the delighted and relieved faces, and gave each one a stronger smile back, still with her arm looped around Booth's waist. She was handed a large flute of sweet bubbles, as she asked, 'Where's Angela?'

Everyone exchanged glances, then Jack said with a cute smile, 'China - with her _mother_…' Bones snapped her mouth shut in shock, then needing the hit, took a gulp of the wine, and swallowed hard. She thought it must be serious if Ange had sought out her mother for help. Booth didn't want to talk the case so eased Bones towards the couch.

'Come on, sit down.' She didn't need much persuasion, and sunk into the soft couch with a deep blissful sigh. Even the little things like a soft couch to settle in she didn't realise how much she'd missed. Booth sat close, holding her free hand, and an arm protectively around her shoulders. Once settled, she smiled at him, and pecked his lips again. Parker sat at her feet, watching his family interact, charmed by their happy faces, offering up a bowl of chips. Bones shook her head, and smiled a thank you for the offer though. Parker started on them again with gusto. 'Do ya want something else,' Booth asked excitedly, about to get up before she'd answered. She held him still and in place, by gripping his hand tight.

'I'm _fine_, Booth - relax,' she reassured softly, noting how jumpy he still was. He did, grinning stupidly. 'I just want to… ' she trailed off, not really knowing what she wanted to do, but was just content to look at everybody: all the friendly faces peering back at her. She took her time exchanging long moments of gratitude with each one in silence. But her eyes burned when they fell on Cam's. 'Did Booth give you…' she paused again when Cam nodded, knowing exactly what she meant. Seeing both ladies getting emotional, Booth told Parker to put the music back on. He shot to feet, still chomping, and rushed to do as he was instructed. Caroline assisted him in his choice of songs, swigging her wine.

When Bones' eyes settled on Sweets standing by the fireplace with a beer in hand, he warned gently, with a weak crumbling smile, 'Don't, don't, Temperance - I'm ok.' Bones clamped her lips together, trying to staunch her tears for him, but they escaped. He immediately knelt down beside her, and she reached for his shoulder, pulling him into her. Sweets nestled his face in her shoulder as she rested her head on his, rubbing his back sympathetically. 'I'm good - I'm ok - Its gonna be ok,' he muttered. She nodded, knowing those words of comfort weren't necessarily for her but a reassurance for himself. She knew he was trying to prove to himself that he was going to get through these turbulent times. Booth knew that too, and gently squeezed his shoulder around Bones'. Sweets got up, and walked into the kitchen area to regain his composure, staring out of the kitchen window. Bones gestured for Booth to go with him but he shook his head slightly, knowing he was going to be ok, not wanting to leave her yet.

Bones then looked to Genny with a connecting smile, wiping her cheeks dry. 'How is Danny and your Mother?' Genny smiled happily, and flapped her hand to dismiss her concern. Music began to fill the room, but it was kept low and just for ambience.

'Fine-fine, no after effects. But I've insisted, until this situation is resolved, they go on vacation. They're staying with relatives up State.' Bones grinned, thrilled to hear that.

'Booth tells me you've been very busy and hospitable - feeding him up.' Booth chuckled, glancing to Genny who blushed. 'I'm _very _grateful to you for looking out for him. It was very comforting to know while I was in there that we have so many wonderful friends.' Then Bones looked directly into Booth's eyes, as she added, 'Isn't it?' Booth agreed wholeheartedly with a solid nod, and a soft smooch of her lips. There wasn't a hint of scepticism or mistrust of Genny's motives not like there'd been when she lost it in prison and accused Booth of sleeping with her. 'Thank you for everything.' Nodding humbly to accept her heartfelt thanks, Genny smiled, then sipped her beer.

Jack was next to receive her undivided attention. 'Jack - how long has she been away?'

'Not long,' he said brightly, taking a seat opposite. 'Michael's teething though - keeping me up at night. Ange has a way with him and I think he's missing her.'

Bones felt her throat close over again, as she forced a troubled smile to her lips for him, covering for her own heartbreak. Feeling herself start to lose her control, Bones got up suddenly, and placed her glass on the mantle, then as she walked away to the bathroom, said, 'Excuse me…' Booth lost his silly smile instantly, and felt a crushing weight on his chest, as he watched her go, and his arms were empty again.

When they heard the bathroom door close down the corridor, realising his inadvertent error, Jack said, 'Oh, _shit_.'

Cam patted his back to console. 'It wasn't your fault, Jack,' she eased sweetly.

'Hey, Man, I'm so sorry - I didn't think.' Booth shook his head for Jack not to apologise, glancing between him and the hall. 'I'll go. Michael needs to get to bed anyway.' He stood up, and went to get Michael from the nursery, feeling terrible. Booth tried to persuade him to stay, but he was adamant. Genny quickly grimaced at Cam surreptitiously, and she rolled her eyes to acknowledged the awkward tension rebuilding. The atmosphere was oppressive again, and nobody felt much like partying much less Bones.

'I should go too really. I've got an early start,' Genny informed, standing, tucking her fingers into her jeans back pockets nervously.

'Hey, don't go,' Booth urged.

'No, I _must_, Booth - really I must. Tell her I said goodbye and I'll see her Tuesday anyway, won't we?' Booth sagged, and followed Genny to the door. 'Bye all,' she said, with a bolstering smile, and a wave as she left.

Jack came out of the nursery with Michael in his arms just as Bones opened the door of the family bathroom opposite. They froze, and locked eyes. He could see unsurprisingly she'd been weeping, then she looked at Michael who was fast asleep. She smiled, and stepped closer, then peered into his peaceful face. 'Bren, I'm _so _sorry.' Without looking at him, she shook her head, not needing him to say anything more.

She took Michael preciously from his arms, and held him close. 'Oh -,' she sighed softly, 'He's so beautiful…' Then she asked delicately, 'Are you cooling his teething rings?' Jack huffed out a soft breath, and nodded, touched by her thoughtful suggestion. Bones smiled up at him, and instructed gently, 'Rub a little numbing agent on his gums before you put him down with one of Ange's items of clothing.' Jack snagged his head back, not understanding. Bones put Michael carefully back in Jack's arms. 'If he can smell her scent or perfume - he'll not miss her so much.' Then she tenderly kissed Michael's forehead, closing her eyes, imagining it was Christine she was kissing good night.

'Thanks, Bren, I'll do that.' Bones looked up into his eyes, and smiled strongly. 'I'll see you Tuesday, ok? I'm really glad you're back safe.' Bones didn't know why it would be Tuesday but didn't bother to enquire, she just accepted the information, and nodded. Jack then walked away. Bones looked directly into Christine's nursery, feeling her thighs weaken, and her heart wrench, seeing the empty crib. Without moving from the spot, she over reached for its handle; scared to get closer, and gently closed the door.

Just then Cam came into the hallway, and paused, she grimaced. 'Sorry, I _really _need to use the bathroom,' she confessed. Bones waved her down, with a tender smile. As Cam opened the door Bones asked, 'Would you meet me in garden after?' Cam shot her a curious look, but nodded to accept her request.

Bones then left her to it, and walked out into the garden alone. She sat on the bench under the tree house, and closed her eyes as the summer sun began to set on her face. When she opened her eyes again, Cam was sat quietly beside her.

'Does Booth know?' Cam shook her head.

'He knows I did something terrible but not why I did. I had to talk to him, you see? I knew he'd understand.' Bones nodded. 'I kept my promise to you though.' Bones smiled, grateful for that, then, very tentatively she took her hand, which moved Cam.

'Caroline told me today that she died. Did she die because of what you did for me?' Cam shook her head, and squeezed her hand, looking into her eyes so she could see her honesty.

'Bren, there's so much you don't know yet - that we've kept from you. We believe Claudette was suffocated by Pelant. Yes - she was recovering after… after…' Cam couldn't bring herself to say after I'd nearly killed her, so fell well short of that. 'Anyway, we can fill you in on the details once you're feeling up to it. We've set up a meeting for Tuesday. Booth will explain.'

'Ok. I'm assuming you got from her what you required.' Cam looked over the lawns to the pretty flowering borders on the others side of the garden, then nodded almost imperceptibly. 'We've butted heads many times, Cam, and we have a healthy professional relationship and sometimes a rivalry. We've even loved the same man but I never thought I was cared about so much by you, for you to risk incarceration, losing your family and profession for me. And what that must have done to you personally. That fact is deeply humbling, and if I'm honest, slightly surprising.'

Cam grinned a little stronger, then looked back into her eyes, as she explained, 'You misinterpret our relationship. I see you as part of _my _family - and I would do _anything _for my family, especially when they're hurting,' she told her reverentially. Bones squeezed her hand tightly. 'It was Ange's initial idea, but I came up with the mode.' Bones cocked an intrigued brow. Cam smiled a fraction, and offered cryptically, 'Cigarettes are very - _bad _for people...' Bones knew then she'd got Claudette to inhale a substance which triggered her near fatal allergic reaction. 'Once she confirmed her involvement and how he contacted her…'

Cutting over her, Bones finished Cam's confession, 'Then you saved her life… But I suspect, because you spoke to Booth, you very nearly didn't.' Cam patted the back of her hand, then stood, not confirming or denying that.

'Welcome home, Doctor Brennan,' Cam said, leaning down, and pecking her cheek sweetly. 'I'll see you Tuesday.' Knowing that was the end of the conversation, Bones stood too, and walked her back into the house.

Bones offered, before they joined the others, '_Thank _you, Cam.' The only person left in the lounge was Caroline and she was dancing with Parker to the music they'd chosen, and seemed to be having a ball…

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**Downe House Hotel**

**19.45PM**

The elegantly decorated hall with its dais and band were surrounded by circular tables which sat ten at a time. In front of the dais was the sprung dance floor. It was very well attended by all the great and good from Capital hill, plenty of military hierarchy, and social climbers and veterans of the War. Penguin suits abounded; the air was filled with gentle laughter, clouds of expensive perfume, conversation and the tickling of wine glasses being filled constantly by white coated waiters mingling amongst the gathering throng. The event was to start at eight so there were many people still to arrive.

AD Hacker took a double take, not believing what he was seeing when Pelant, with two girls on either arm, walked into the hall, smiling confidently, and looking around. He nudged AD Luggia beside him, and stood from his seat, and muttered, 'What the _fuck _is he doing here? Someone's dropped the friggin' ball on this one.'

Luggia looked too, and stood, just as shocked. 'Oh. _Jesus_…' They saw Pelant show his tickets and be escorted to his table on the other side of the hall from them. Hacker got on his cell immediately, not taking his eyes off Pelant, nor his scantily dressed dates: that looked so out of place, they stuck out like carbuncles. He saw people watch, and raised brows as the girls pinched glasses of wine off the silver trays, and giggled too loudly to be decent at such a event.

'Patch me through to ST1,' Hacker grunted down the line. Luggia's wife looked confused, and over to the man that had entered and was causing such a stir.

There were a few clicks and clonks then a voice said in Hacker's ear, '_We know, Sir. We followed him in. Look to your right._' Hacker did, and saw his Agents looking out of breath, standing by the entrance. '_We're at the door. We had no idea he was coming._'

'Not _fucking _good enough,' he sneered, ended the call, and went to speak to them. When he met up with them, he pulled one by the cuff to find a quiet place to talk, but paused when he saw Mrs Thomas coming in alone. 'Wait here,' he told ST1, and went to speak to her as she looked a little confused and lost. 'Hello, Glenda, are you ok?'

'Oh. Hello, Andrew. You look very dapper.'

'Thank you. You look positively _ravishing_,' he charmed effortlessly. 'Where's Philip?'

'Well, you should know - _you _called him this afternoon to the office about that big case you're working on. He went off this afternoon straight away with his suit and promised to meet me here at seven thirty,' she explained, looking around for him. 'Is he not at our table then?' Hacker felt his face drain of blood, and his heart turn to ice. He smiled pleasantly though, and took her arm gallantly.

'Let's get you seated, and we'll have look for him.' Hacker walked with her towards the table just as Pelant came weaving through the crowds with a glass in hand, and a slippery smile on his lips.

'Good evening - AD Hacker and Mrs Thomas, isn't it?' he asked, offering his hand. Ignoring it, Hacker grit his jaw as they came to a stand still, their route blocked by Pelant. Glenda went to shake his hand but Hacker drew her away gently, which made her deeply confused. As Hacker manoeuvred her away, Pelant said after them, 'I understand your husband is giving the address this evening - I shall look forward to that. Have a pleasant evening!'

'What's wrong, Andrew, what's happening - who was that man?'

'Nothing, Don't concern yourself. Sit down, please.' She did, smiling at Luggia's wife then said hello, starting up a conversation with her. Andrew placed a glass of wine in front of her, then headed back at pace to ST1 through the crowds.

'Mrs Thomas said AD Thomas left home this afternoon because _I _called him into the office about this case. I didn't, now Pelant's here. This is _his _doing. You watch that SOB like a _fucking _hawk if he pisses, you follow him into the cubicle - got it?' ST1 nodded. 'Here - take my jacket and tie. I've got some calls to make.' Hacker stripped and handed him his clothes so he could enter the hall. Luggia caught up with him, as he walked out to the reception area.

'What's going on - apart from the obvious?'

'She reckons I called him in the FBI today. She hasn't seen or heard from him since. You're gonna have to give the speech.' Luggia nodded gravely, and hitched up his pants.

'_Shit _- you know what this probably means?' Hacker grit his jaw, not wanting to jump to conclusions, but had already done so, fearing for his colleague. 'Can we toss him out?'

'Not if he's paid his money. Did you see him talk to her?' Luggia nodded, watching Hacker tapping a number in on his cell. 'But if those hookers get out of order, we can.'

'SWAT team?' Holding the cell to his ear, Hacker nodded to confirm who he was calling in. 'I better go. Its nearly eight,' Luggia said, looking at his watch. Hacker nodded sternly again. Then Luggia whispered in his ear, 'Speak to the Director - we've got to get him to authorise Apricot…' Hacker glanced to him with a smouldering fire in his eyes, as he walked away back into the hall.

People began to sit at the tables, and settle down. He could see Glenda looking around very anxiously. He smiled at her pleasantly, putting his hand up to allay her concern. He turned his back on her as the called connected finally. 'This is AD Hacker. I need a SWAT at the Downe House Hotel - _now_, we have a situation - listen carefully…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Booth & Bones' Home**

With crumbs of chips gathered on his shirt, and nodding to sleep while holding another in his mouth, Parker heard, 'Come on, Buddy - time for bed.'

He snapped his eyes open, and automatically whined, 'Oooh, Dad, I haven't got school tomorrow.'

'I know - but you can hardly keep your eyes open. _And _do you think I didn't see you sipping _beer _from Sweets' bottle - do you want me to go there?' Parker grimaced, holding his breath, forgetting his Dad never missed a thing. With a wry smile, Booth ruffled up his hair. 'You can watch TV for half an hour in your room. Go on.' Booth offered, knowing he'd be asleep in ten.

'Oookay,' he grumbled half-heartedly, then, 'Night, Bones. Its great to have ya home.' He gave her kiss and cuddle which she firmly reciprocated.

'G'night, Parker. See you in the morning.' The adults watched him drift off, heard him close his door, then looked to each other, and smiled.

Booth stepped towards her. 'Alone at last,' he said, wrapping his arms around her from behind, while she slipped her hands over his on her stomach, and leant back into him as he gently kissed her neck, and rocked her slowly in his arms. 'God, it _feels _so good to hold you again.' She hummed, tilting her head to give him more room. 'It wasn't a very good party, was it?' he muttered sadly on her throat. She turned slowly in his arms, and let her eyes lazily ride over his features.

'No, but I don't think anyone was really in the mood.' Booth slowly shook his head to agree with a pout, then kissed her lips softly, very romantically. She hummed again, loving his tenderness. Before he became too amorous, she changed the subject, 'Do you know what I'd really like to do now though?' Booth cocked a sexy brow, hoping what he was thinking was what she was thinking: he was to be disappointed though. 'I want to make you dinner - I bet you've not eaten anything substantial today.' Booth quirked his lips, and shook his head, owning up. 'Shall I make us some pasta?'

'I'll do it,' he said eagerly, about to leave her for the fridge. But she pulled him back, and into her arms again. He settled against her softly.

'_Nooo_,' she purred, but tenderly pointed out, 'I _want _to cook for us, to get back to doing the _normal _things - I've missed doing that.' He brushed her hair off her face, and smiled, understanding.

'Ok. Only if you'll let me help though.'

'I'll cook - you tidy up the lounge then.'

With his best puppy eyes, Booth pouted cutely, as he said, 'But I won't be able to _hold _you - I want you close.'

Charmed, Bones bit little kisses along the length of his lips, as she whispered between those kisses, 'You can hold me all night, and even better, I can hold you…' Booth's smile crept across his placated face with that thought.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Downe House Hotel**

**20.14PM**

Pelant's dates were a little more than tipsy already, he noted, not caring, and he knew the few lines of cocaine they'd had in the Hummer had helped their moods too. But they were clearly bored by the speech about the Gulf War and raising money for the brave soldiers that served their country and politicians. AD Luggia was making a fine job of stepping in too with his off the cuff remarks, he thought. But while Luggia droned on, he watched Mrs Thomas sipping her wine, and constantly looking over her shoulders for her husband, and that was giving him a hard on. He twitched as his cock stiffened more when he checked his watch. Then slipped his hand under the table to squeeze a hookers thigh beside him, and flicked his eyes down to his groin. She grinned sultrily, and nuzzled into his ear, then slipped her hand over his bulge, and rubbed him through his dress pants discreetly.

Although a few guests around the table thought they saw something untoward happening on their periphery, they said nothing and continued to listened to Luggia. Pelant just smiled at them, and sipped from his glass of wine, as the hooker unzipped his fly slowly, and slid her hand in, and wrapped it around his solid flesh.

Luggia began to conclude his speech, and ended it with, 'So _thank _you all for coming again and donating to the Veterans…' Suddenly a cell phone sounded with a howl of a wolf, then another, then another. Luggia and Hacker's heckles rose. Those people began to hurriedly squirrel the cells out of their pockets or handbags to turn them off, clearly embarrassed by interrupting the evening so rudely, also perplexed by the frightening ring tone. Pelant smiled as more and more cell phones began to howl until the whole hall was full of desperate confused people trying to stop their phones from howling. Even his hookers started looking around the room at the finery of DC trying to end the calls. But as they ended them, they only rang again, and again, and again.

Out in the street the sound of wolves howled from every direction too: from people in cabs, busses and in their apartments. In the hotel kitchens, the rooms, the foyer and the press' cells waiting on the red carpet all rang out too, and caused just as much confusion and chaos.

Pelant stayed still and perfect calm as all around him was mayhem, but he forced his hooker's hand to keep rubbing, commanding, 'Don't stop,' with a sneer. She didn't, but worriedly looked around her as people began to flick out their batteries; finally finding a solution to the persistent problem.

Luggia, Hacker and ST1 all looked at each other then to Pelant, who they saw tip his head back, and dropped his mouth open as he ejaculated under the table in triumph. Secretly filming Pelant from the entrance, Hacker nearly lost his head as his blood boiled as his cell began to howl too. It was a chilling display of power over technology, Hacker thought, and knew this would be all over the media in the morning. There was no way they were going to be able to keep this quiet, he pondered, ripping out the battery from his phone.

'Clean me up - now,' Pelant instructed coldly. The hooker wiped his ejaculate off on her linen napkin, and obediently quickly tucked him away.

He zipped himself up, then sipped his wine casually. 'Don't you think its rude not to turn your cell on _off _when attending one of these functions?' he said condescendingly to one man opposite him still struggling with his baying IPhone. The fiasco continued till every last cell in the room was discarded on the table with their batteries removed with puzzled faces staring at them. The hookers looked around the mumbling shocked people as Pelant said between them. 'I hope dinner won't be too long…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Booth & Bones' Home**

**22.41PM**

Bones stepped out of her long bubble bath, and was about to wrap a large soft towel around her but paused when she saw herself for the first time in a large mirror. Her bruises were yellowing now like she was smeared with English mustard. And her letter scars looked raised again due to her long soak. She turned her body slowly to scrutinize her flank, and sighed at her obvious weight loss. Her ribs and pelvis stuck out a little too much for her liking, and it was a mild shock to see how gaunt her face looked. Quickly covering herself up, she wrapped the towel around herself, and took out her antibiotics from her case. She shook two out, and swallowed them with a swig of water from the tap. As she was cleaning her teeth, she thought about where she could stash them without him finding them, and decided the back of the cupboard where they kept the cleaning solutions under the sink was her best option. She rinsed, and wiped her mouth, then hid the pill container just as Booth tried to come into the bathroom. She flinched, then remembered she'd locked the door.

On the other side, confused because she never locked the door, Booth asked, 'Everything ok, Bones?'

'Yep. I'll be out presently. You couldn't make me coffee, could you?' He smiled, knowing she loved her coffee.

'Sure - I'll go do it now.' He trotted off to fulfil her whim.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

When he returned with she was on her side already in bed and facing away from him. He came in quietly, placed the coffee on her nightstand, and looked into her serene sleeping face. He wasn't surprised she was already asleep, and couldn't begrudge her for it, knowing the last two days had been an emotional rollercoaster for her. Booth walked into their en suite, and closed the door. Bones opened her eyes, and listened as he got ready for bed, with a sense of apprehension coursing her body, waiting for his return.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

Naked, Booth slipped into bed very carefully, catching her fragrance, and feeling the warmth she exuded, and couldn't resist its pull. Gently covering himself over, he spooned her very slowly, and slipped his arm over her waist. Bones stirred, and rolled her head back just enough so she could partially see him. She smiled, taking his hand, but gently moving it off her stomach from where he might feel her scars. 'G'night, Booth,' she said softly. Booth snuggled closer, kissed her cheek delicately, unable to control his desire for her. Feeling his body respond to her against her covered buttocks, she had a mild attack of panic, and said, 'I don't think we should be intimate - not with Parker in the house.' Booth's heart began to slow, and his delirious smiled drifted off into the darkness. 'I'm exhausted too, Booth. Can we just hold one another?'

'Sure - no problem. Sweet dreams,' he whispered tenderly, cuddling her a little tighter, losing his ardour slowly. But he felt desperately unhappy and concerned by her tender rejection. And although he understood why, they'd made love before with Parker in the house, and it wasn't as if he was in the next room, so that excuse puzzled him. Now he had her in his arms and safe again, a colossal wave of fatigue rippled through him, so he closed his eyes to it, breathing her in, as he fell to sleep.

Bones lay still and silent, listening as his breathing became deeper and his body felt comfortingly heavy against hers. Eventually his grip on her hand slackened then she knew he was in a deep slumber.

Her untouched coffee was long since cold, and the second hand had moved passed the twelve three times since she came to bed, but she still couldn't sleep. That wasn't unusual in recent times but she'd hoped by being home that might have changed. But she knew why she couldn't sleep; something was calling her.

Easing herself out of bed and from his tender protective web, she walked out of their bedroom, closing the door behind her. When she reached the nursery, she paused before she opened the door, and took a breath, then blew it out gently. With courage she opened it, and went inside.

The mobile Parker had made gently swayed as the air in room disturbed it slightly, and she walked towards the empty crib, her eyes already beginning to leak. It was exactly as she remembered it, and reached in, with a trembling hand, to pick up the cover that had kept Christine warm. She slowly brought the soft blanket to her nose, closing her eyes, as she breathed in deeply. She could smell the faintest trace of her scent clinging to the fibres, and they weaken her; tore at her heart, and lurched her womb. Slowly Bones crumpled to the floor on her buttocks, and still holding the blanket to her face, and silently wept with her agony and longing. Collapsing to the floor completely, and in a foetal position, she draped the blanket over her body, while she breathed in Christine's delicate scent. She gently rocked herself as if comforting the child and herself, all the while wracked her sobs into the blanket.

Getting up to use the bathroom, Parker stilled when he saw the nursery door ajar, and heard soft whimpers coming from inside. At first thought he felt a surge of excitement, thinking it might be Christine that had been returned, but the weren't a baby's sobs. He peered in through the crack to see Bones on the floor beside the crib, wrapped in Christine's blanket, and obviously crying. At first he stepped back as if he'd invaded her privacy, and not knowing what to do. His compassionate soul thought he should join her on the floor, and hug her to sympathise. But then he considered waking his Dad so he could be with her to comfort her. But then he thought, Bones might not want to worry him and that was why she came alone to the nursery in the dead of night. Then he recalled when he visited her in prison and she said that she feared Christine may forget them, and that gave him an idea. He peered carefully around the door again, feeling his eyes fill, seeing her so distraught, then he quietly returned to his bedroom, with a plan taking shape in his mind…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**A/N: **Where's AD Thomas? What's Parker's idea to help Bones? Will Booth discover Bones' pills? When is Ange due home? Will Hacker or Luggia be targeted next? And what is Apricot? The answers to these questions are on the way in the next instalments of, **Pelant**. Coming much sooner than you think. Comments, frustrated rants and reviews most welcome. Hugs, Lebxeb. XX.


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: **All characters portrayed here are fictional. No infringement of rights intended. Bones & its characters are a product of Fox Inc. & not mine. No financial gain is received from this work of fiction.

**Summary: **Bones and Booth are together again but not everything is rosy in their garden. Pelant's stunt causes mayhem and fear but triggers reactions elsewhere. "Nothing is what it seems…" - Seeley Booth.

**Rating: M **

**Thanks: Jsboneslover: **Answers to your questions; Yes. - Of course. - Most definitely. - Humm - maybe. And huge thx 4 the other wonderful comments and insights. We're obviously on the same wavelength. ;) Hugs XX.

**Pelant**

**Chapter XVII**

**Booth & Bones' Home**

**Monday**

**Dawn**

On his back, Booth woke up gradually, feeling the luscious sensation of Bones' warm body draped over his left side and birdsong outside their window. A slim leg looped between his too, while her head rested on the fleshy cushion his shoulder as his arm curled around her. Her breathing was in perfect sync with his and her limp hand was flat over his heart as if she was comforted by its regular beat. The sun was rising on her face which made him smile because this was what he'd longed to have back. It was a simple thing to crave, he thought, but one he treasured more now because he'd been without it for so long. She looked so peaceful and rested and when she took a deeper breath, and squirmed very slowly against him, he felt his heart leap, because he knew she was going to wake shortly. And he couldn't barely contain himself because he was eager for her to wake so he could talk to and kiss her and stare into her velvety eyes for as long as he wanted. He knew it wouldn't be long now…

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**Simultaneously**

**Monday**

**Dawn**

**City Residence Of Jack, Angela & Michael**

Letting herself in, Ange crept into the hall, and closed the door carefully. It was still early and she was expecting them to still be fast asleep. Carrying the chrome case with her upstairs, not wanting to let it out of her sight, she went straight to Michael's nursery. She opened the door carefully, and looked though the bars of the crib, but Michael wasn't in there, so she made for their bedroom.

As she walked in, she smiled hard, and put the case down just inside the door, then walked over to their bed. Jack was fast asleep with his arm around Michael who was face down on his bare chest, and sleeping soundly over his father's heart, and holding in his tiny hand one of her t-shirts. The whole picture was a perfect heart-swelling adorable welcome home gift. She crept over, feeling her heart throb with love, and leant over the pair, then kissed Michael's cheek very gently. Then she woke her sexy Jack up with the softest cluster of slow moist kisses. His lips cutely followed hers, as he began to flutter his eyes open, then focus on her.

'Hey, Baby,' Ange cooed, then kissed him more deeply, and felt his smile on her lips as she did. He hummed deliciously husky. Michael woke too, then pushed himself up on Jack's chest, with a slightly glazed expression, and then squealed his excitement on seeing his Mommy. Then Michael promptly rolled off Jack's chest, and scurried to reach urgently for her. Ange and Jack both laughed, while she picked up Michael for a long awaited, much needed, cuddle, sitting beside Jack. He sat up against the brass bedstead.

'Oh. You're back - we've missed you so _much_,' Jack nuzzled into her neck, kissing her his welcome home. Ange peppered kisses over both of her men, with a delirious smile on her face.

'I've missed you too. What's with my t-shirt?' Michael stood up with Ange's help, and bounced on his chubby legs on her thighs as she held him up.

Noting how rested she looked, Jack ignored that question for now. 'How did it go - how was your, _Mom_?' he asked carefully, nearly grimacing. But was delighted when Ange beamed at him, then nodded towards the case by the door. Jack looked, then back to her with wide sparkling blue eyes.

'Great - I got them and some. Mom and me we're, we're - _really _great,' she confirmed solidly to him and herself. 'We sorted things out. I've got so much to tell you…' she said, with her eyes filling, as she peered into his. Jack nodded, sensing that, and they kissed lovingly again.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Monday**

**Dawn**

**Residence Of Agent Genny Shaw**

The phone beside her bed rang, waking her with a cruel start, and she slapped her hand over the receiver. Still with her eyes closed, she bought it to her ear, saying groggily, 'This better be good or I may have to shoot you.'

She sat bolt upright and wide eyed as AD Hacker replied, sounding deadly seriously, "_Pelant pulled a stunt last night - we need you in - __**now**_." Then he put the phone down, not giving her time to ask what that stunt was, so snapped shut her mouth. It was clearly something very serious, so she flung off her sheets, and began running around her room like a manic March hare to get ready…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Monday**

**Five Minutes Later**

**Doctor Saroyan's Residence**

Cam padded down the stairs, tying up her robe just as a pile mail was delivered through her letter box. She stooped to pick it up, flicking through the pile, as she made her way to the kettle. She flicked it on, then paused when amongst the pile was a postcard. She stared curiously at the picture for a few seconds of Xi'ang, China, then realising its significance, flipped it over to read the back. There was nothing on it except the postmark and her address. She carefully placed in on the counter top as she got out a mug, and spooned coffee into it, still glancing to the card, pondering it. Something about it caught her eye, so she lifted the blinds to let the light in, and peered again at the card. Her eyes widened slowly when the low early shards of sun revealed ridges under the stamp, and a tiny piece of hair sticking out from under it. With a sense of excitement brewing, her phone rang. Still scrutinizing the card, she absently picked up the phone.

'Saroyan.'

"_Doctor Saroyan - AD Hacker. Sorry to trouble you so early but we have a situation. Turn on your TV…_"

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Simultaneously**

**Pelant's Residence**

Pelant climbed over one of his snoring hookers; used condoms, and empty vodka bottles, and staggered into the bathroom. He snapped off another used condom from the end of his sticky flaccid cock, and tossed it down the toilet, then pissed over it, grinning as he recalled last night. He yawned hard and long, and flushed, then walked back into the bedroom, and shouted, '_Hey_!' The girls jerked awake at his bark, and groaned, clearly heavily hung over._ '_Nice fucking you both, now would you kindly _piss _off. You got ten minutes to get out.' Then he walked into his lounge, slumped down on his couch, rubbing his throbbing cocaine-addled head, and turned on the TV.

Twenty minutes later the girls tottered out into his lounge looking like mutton dressed as lamb and panda eyed. Without looking up from the news, he held out a wad of dollars, saying, 'Take my tux back and get yourselves a cab home.' One of them snatched up his tux in a suite bag by the door, the other took the cash, then smooched his cheek.

She licked up his face seductively, then said, 'You were fucking _awesome _last night, Baby - call us anytime.' Pelant wiped her stale saliva of his cheek, and waved them out, not registering her comment. Only when the door slammed behind them, did he glance over his shoulder, but looked back to the news just as quickly.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Booth & Bones' Home**

Bones batted her eyes open, and looked straight into Booth's infinitely warm eyes, then smiled as strongly as the sun. She moved slowly towards his lips with hers, and ghosted them lips across his. 'Good morning,' she purred softly against them, then kissed him properly, in a sumptuous loving way. Booth held her tighter, and moaned his delirium as he joined in with her affectionate wake up call.

During their kiss she felt him shift his hips slightly, and caress her back seductively; all his signature aroused markers returned to remind her of what she didn't feel she could deliver on yet. She slowly ended the kiss, and nuzzled into his neck, hiding her eyes from him because she didn't want him to see her sadness. She still caressed over his torso in a delicate affectionate way though, but didn't add to his arousal; keeping her hand high, and well away from his erection.

Booth rolled gently to face her in his embrace of her, and tentatively slipped his other hand over her outer thigh in hope. She closed her eyes, and knew where this was leading, and fought herself and her demons. As gently as possible, so not to upset him, she reached for his hand on her thigh, and laced her fingers with his. This had two results; firstly, he couldn't advance his hand but also it seem as if she wasn't rejecting his advances again: just holding him. 'I love you,' she committed, squeezing that hand, and kissed his neck, holding her puckered lips to his skin. He smiled hearing her declaration but to his surprise she rolled away, and out of bed. With a baffled expression, and his heart stalling, he watched her walk into their en suite, and heard her lock the door again. He looked down at his erection tenting the sheets as he began to wilt, and deflated emotionally too. That was, he considered, her second rejection, and started him pondering the reasons for it. He's never known her to reject him before, so that was worrying and confusing.

His thoughts and concerns were interrupted as the phone rang beside his digital clock, so he picked it up. 'Hello?'

"_Booth - its Sweets_," he said solemnly. "_There's been a development in the case. Can you get in to the FBI this morning - the AD's want to talk to you? I'm on the way in now."_

'Yeah, I suppose, but what about Bones - I don't wanna leave her - it's too soon?'

"_They want her to come in too - the whole team has been called in_." Booth flicked the covers off, and sat up on the edge of the bed.

'Ok - what time?'

"_Now - as soon as you can get there._" Booth nodded, looking to the closed bathroom door.

'Ok. See you when we can get there.' Sweets hung up. Booth replaced the phone, but haphazardly, accidentally knocking the digital clock back a few inches. Booth got up, and tapped the en suite door, saying softly, 'Bones, that was Sweets - something is going on with Pelant. The FBI have called us in - the team's all going in. You don't have to come but…' he paused when the door opened suddenly, and stepped back as she came out like she'd had a shot of adrenalin and on a mission now she had a purpose. He knew she disliked being idle but this was absurd, he thought. His jaw hung as she twirled around their room like a whirlwind.

'We best arrange for a sitter for Parker then.' She opened a drawer, and ripped out underwear, and then paced over to the cupboard to chose something to wear, 'Do you think they want you back on the case? Maybe they'll reinstate you.' He went to explain and clarify his position but held on to those words as she hurried around, clutching all the items of clothes, then brushed passed him to go back into the bathroom with them. That confused him further because she was never shy about getting naked in front of him. She closed the door, and relocked it, as she said from behind it, 'I won't be long, Booth - you call the sitter! I'll make the coffee when I get out! No -,' she changed her plan of action, 'we can get some on the way, yes? We don't want to waste any time!' Booth slumped on his shoulder against the wall outside, and shook his head, disbelievingly at her energy levels spiking.

He heard her flick on the shower, as he said, 'Bones, I don't want you back out there yet - its _too _soon!' She unlocked the door, leant out, then with a sweet smile, pecked his lips.

'I'm fine - stop _worrying _about me -,' then she pushed him gently away in the middle of his chest, adding, 'go wake Parker - Tell him I'll make him _pancakes _before we leave.' Flaring her excited eyes, she pecked his lips, then disappeared inside the bathroom again. Booth felt like he'd been hit by a storm, and was still reeling from its warm windy blast.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**An Hour Later**

**FBI HQ**

**Booth's Office**

Bones saw the gathered people in Booth office, and felt slightly offended for him as they walked side by side towards it. 'Why are they in your office?'

'Because its not my office - its Shaw's.' Bones snapped her eyes to his, and narrowed them. He smiled, and nudged her. 'Hey, look, Bones. They gave it to her it for the duration - it's not a problem - don't make it one, ok?' Bones huffed, and nodded as he open the door to let her in. Everybody turned; Cam, Jack, Sweets, Shaw from behind the desk, and Agent Flynn. Then Bones spotted Ange stand from a chair, and immediately locked watery eyes with her. Bones paced towards her instantly, and embraced her hard.

'Oh. Ange - you're back,' she gushed, cuddling her close, and feeling her eyes burn.

'Hey, Sweetie,' she whispered in her ear, gripping her tightly. 'I'm so pleased to see you. I'm so sorry to miss your welcome home party.'

Bones laughed, and released her, with a huge smile on her face, and said, 'You didn't miss much. I was very emotional and caused a great deal of awkwardness and anxiety. Everyone left early, except Caroline - who we got a cab for as she became inebriated and couldn't drive. I can't blame them for leaving,' she explained honestly, looking around at everyone that had attended the horrific party, who now looked awkward again. Bones offered a high chin nod to Flynn though, in a mildly respectful greeting. It wasn't the right environment or time, she judged, to ask Ange in more detail what had happened to her in China, so changed the subject. 'What's happening?' she asked, keen to get to work. Just then AD Hacker walked in, grave faced: they all turned towards him.

'Good, you're all here. This way.' He gestured the direction, and they all filed out of Booth's office. Booth retook Bones' hand, not wanting to let her go of her for a second. 'Great to see you're out, Temperance. How are you feeling?'

'Free,' she said simply. He grinned almost, and power walked them towards the operations room. 'Have you seen or heard any news reports this morning?' Bones glanced to Booth, and they shook their heads in reply. 'Ok. All will be revealed shortly…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**FBI's Operations Room**

**08.30AM**

The front row of seats had been left empty in the auditorium for the Jeffersonian staff to sit on. Hacker motioned towards them, and they sat down. A few Agent's acknowledged Booth from behind him, patted his back; clearly pleased to see him, and shook his hand. And he heard a few words of gossip about Bones being out too from further back. He looked to her, but she was in her full-on concentration mode and hadn't heard them, or if she had, it didn't register on her features. Everyone quieted down as Luggia and Hacker exchanged a few words, then Luggia stepped up to the microphone on the lectern.

'Thank you all for arriving so promptly,' Luggia greeted, then got straight to it, 'For those that haven't seen the press reports this morning - let me explain. Last evening Christopher Pelant arrived with two prostitutes at the Downe House Hotel's annual Gulf War Veterans Charity ball which was attended by over five hundred people. We were unaware of his intention to attended.' Booth and Bones exchanged glances, and then to his unadulterated joy, and much surprise she took his hand, and held it gently.

'At approximately 19.45 Mrs Thomas, and wife of AD Thomas, arrived alone at the ball. He was due to give the pre-dinner address. After asking where AD Thomas was AD Hacker was informed by her, that _he _had called AD Thomas Sunday afternoon and requested his urgent presence here: at the FBI, as he was told there was a break in the case he was currently dealing with. AD Hacker did _not _make this call.' Ange and Cam exchanged worried looks but not surprise by the fact. 'What's more, no record of that call can be found... After consulting with AD Hacker, I stepped in to make the address. At the conclusion of this speech, 20.15 precisely, all cell phones that had not been turned off, even those that had been put into silent mode, began to ring out with the sound of baying, howling wolves.' Now Jack and Ange looked at one another, and they could see the other considering how he could pull that off. Ange immediately got out her laptop, and started tapping away on it. Hacker watched Ange but said nothing. Luggia went on, 'This caused huge distress and furore in the hall. Let me demonstrate. AD Hacker, after calling in SWAT teams and surveillance to cover these events, discreetly videoed this footage on his cell…'

Luggia then aimed a remote control at the large projection screen behind him, and pushed the button. Ange stopped what she was doing, and looked up to see the glittering hall, guests, Luggia giving his speech, and just to his left, Pelant with his dates sat casually around a crystal covered table. They all watched in silence, then everyone saw what the AD's had witnessed last night, with their blood running cold hearing the wolves.

Suddenly Bones blurted, 'Hooo-ly _fuck _- did dat bitch just jerk him off under the _table_?' The silence got even heavier. All eyes snapped to Bones, and mouths gawped at her. She saw Booth looked completely stunned as did Luggia, so she turned slightly to the Agents behind her, and said, 'I apologise - _sincerely_. I've only just been released from an environment in which… Sorry - please continue.' Ange, Booth and Jack smirked, but endeavoured to hide their amusement behind their clamped lips. Luggia took a double take of Bones as she settled again, and listened as if nothing had happened. Booth squeezed her hand to reassure.

Hacker nearly grinned at her, and confirmed, 'Yes, Doctor Brennan, that is _precisely _what happened. And for the record, that was my reaction too.' She nodded soberly towards him, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Ange raised her hand to ask a question, Luggia yielded to her. 'Umm. Sorry to interrupt. Have you discovered how many cells were affected?'

'Yes -,' Hacker stepped in, 'within a five block radius of the hotel, there or there abouts, _every _cell phone was affected - thousands. No trace of the placed calls could be located after the event. And furthermore, it didn't matter which cell network those cells belonged to.' Ange nodded, then started tapping away again on her laptop, but much quicker this time.

Luggia continued, 'We believe AD Thomas has fallen victim to Pelant.' That was no surprise to anyone in the hall. 'We haven't been unable to locate his whereabouts since he left his wife Sunday afternoon, nor his vehicle. At this point I'd like to hand over to Doctor Lance Sweets to give us his evaluation of these events and Pelant's state of mind at this juncture.'

Sweets stood to address the gathered Agents. 'Pelant's behaviour and attendance at this public event, I believe, shows he wanted to demonstrate his self-proclaimed omnipotence. He wanted to revel in the shocked faces, taunt the FBI and hopefully get as much public or media attention as possible. But what's very disturbing about this video, apart from the obvious, is that he was not only sexually excited by what he'd done, but it suggests at the moment of orgasm and with the wolves howling something other was happening elsewhere, and this was the celebration of that apparent triumph. It also demonstrates he doesn't fear the authorities. He's completely sure of himself and his tactics. I have no doubt, seeing this, that AD Thomas is dead and probably by Pelant's hand. We need to find out where AD Thomas is before the media do or we will appear inept and humiliated, which will play directly into Pelant's hands. This is his challenge to us.'

'Thank you. Doctor Sweets.' Sweets retook his seat as Luggia continued, 'We've reviewed the logs from ST1 and STII. Yesterday, at the precisely their shift change time, it was noted Pelant took a bath. The heat given off by the steam in the bathroom distorted our infrared view. But as the water cooled it was again noted, without much concern, that he was taking an extraordinarily long bath. But they _could _see a person in the bath, so their suspicions weren't raised above that. However, we believe now the team were duped for two hours. Pelant was fully aware that he was being watched but we didn't know, he knew, about the _second _surveillance team. At sixteen hundred hours, a Hummer pulled up and his two dates got out, carrying a suit bag, which we assume now was his tuxedo. Pelant opened his door to them wearing nothing but a bath robe.'

'He's screwing with us,' Booth muttered. Bones squeezed his hand, feeling him bristle. Ange put her hand up again, but she didn't wait to be invited to speak this time.

'I think I know where AD Thomas is…' All eyes snapped to her as she got up with her laptop, and motioned with it towards the projection screen, asking, 'May I?' Luggia and Hacker stood back, as she plugged in her computer to the projection equipment. Everybody shifted in their seats, and waited eagerly for her to explain.

'Does everybody understand how mobile communications work - don't worry I've got a little demo here?' She got a lot of blank faces, but a few nods from the obvious, so she continued, 'As a cell comes into range of a relay tower it emits a signal which is picked up by their network. So when a call is sent from that particular cell it is relayed by the nearest network tower, then dish, then to a satellite in low orbit. Then the software in the satellite matches up the number called to another tower closer to the number called, then down to the cell or landline. The call connects and we can talk. These satellites are expensive so shared by different networks. These towers and dishes that relay these messages work on very narrow bandwidths in microwaves and they have to be in line of sight, forming a grid - like so. This is how we can triangulate a signal from a particular cell to find a location.' Ange demonstrated all this on a simple teaching tool she downloaded from a network site online. Then she dropped her bomb very carefully, 'Many high buildings in strategic places loan out their roofs to mobile networks - The Downe House Hotel is one of those buildings. There is a telecommunication relay tower on the roof _and _also a five meter dish aimed at a satellite…'

'Wait. That would make complete sense,' Sweets interrupted. 'He screwed with the software in the satellite, and arranged it that every cell in that part of the grid rang at a certain time, relayed from that dish on the roof. That's why he was so euphoric and probably why he tipped his head back: he was looking _up_, imagining what was happening on the roof.'

Ange nodded solemnly to agree. 'I've checked with the network that hires the roof space - their communication dish went off line last night at eight thirty one. They've posted on their website this morning that a team of technicians is being dispatched to repair it. Apparently there was an overload, a surge of calls that blew out the relays. and they say they're sorry for the inconvenience in the loss of signals for their customers.'

A question was thrown at her from the back of the auditorium, 'Hang on - can you be microwaved to death? I've heard of babies being put in microwave _ovens_, but I didn't think these _towers _were dangerous.'

'Oh. Yes - they can harm given the right conditions. But its not the towers that are so dangerous, its the dishes - they carry the most power. When someone is put against or directly in contact with the feed horn of the dish, microwaves are microwaves, they will harm but not normally fatally unless there's a long exposure time. But with the surge in calls it wouldn't surprise me if he was severely internally burnt.'

Booth added gravely though, 'AD Thomas was veteran of the Gulf War. He got shot once in the shoulder, the ricochet cracked his skull open, a piece blew out - he has a metal plate - here,' Booth explained, tapping his head. 'Would that aggravate the situation?'

'Yes - most definitely. The metal will heat up just like it does in an oven.' The hush that followed was painfully loud as they all imagined that horrific end.

After a snap of reflective hush, Luggia broke it with, 'Right - we need to do this quietly. I don't want Pelant getting the publicity he's obviously seeking. Mrs Thomas suspects something terrible has happened and I want to be with her when we're sure. I don't want the press banging on her door to tell her the news.' Everybody nodded. 'Shaw, Sweets - we picked up the hookers Pelant hired this morning after they left him - they're waiting to be interviewed downstairs.' They both nodded, got up, and left the briefing. 'Everybody else - you have your orders. Please get on with them.' All the remaining Agents made their way out of the auditorium in morbid silence.

'Ms Montenegro, that was _excellent _work, thank you. Can you possibly check the satellite for this virus or worm - whatever it is?' Luggia enquired.

'Of course, I'll try. But I'll need permission: a warrant or something.'

'You'll have it within the hour. The Director has authorised Apricot.' She nodded, and sat back down again next to Jack, who proudly pecked her cheek. Bones looked to Booth when she heard the word Apricot with a puzzled expression, he just squeezed her hand, not explaining though. AD Hacker and Luggia then came down, and stood in front of them all; Flynn, Ange, Cam, Jack, Booth and Bones.

'Special Agent Flynn,' Hacker addressed, flicking his eyes towards Booth. Flynn got up, and handed Booth back his badge and firearm, with a cautious smile. Booth smiled hard at him with no animosity, and he tucked them away safely. Bones again surprised him when she excitedly kissed his lips again. Ignoring their exchange, Hacker went on, 'The Director has erased this incident from your record, Agent Booth, and all other records pertaining to it.' Bones knew by that Sweets' damming private computer files had been expunged too. 'If you're willing, we'd like you back on the case, but in a _covert _way, you understand?' Booth nodded, understanding completely. However Bones didn't and was about to enquire, but Hacker continued, turning his attention to Cam now, 'Doctor Saroyan - we need to get up on that roof as secretly as we can…' Cam interrupted, putting Hacker on pause.

'I've already thought of how that might be achieved. We can enter through the delivery entrance incognito in an empty refrigerated delivery van, that way we can remove the remains without drawing too much attention and stabilize them. We can pack the equipment we'll need in ordinary luggage and have it taken up in the service elevators.' Hacker and Luggia exchanged glances, then nodded to confirm her idea was sound. Flynn raised a slow impressed brow at Cam, giving her a evocative smile. She discreetly double checked that suave smile was for her, and once sure, she grinned back at him.

'Excellent - that's make that happen then, Agent Flynn.' Flynn went off immediately to set those cogs in motion.

Then Hacker sat next to Bones in the chair that Flynn had just vacated. He smiled handsomely at her, then said compassionately, 'You've been through so much and still have many issues to deal with, Temperance.' She felt Booth squeeze her hand to agree with him. 'The Bureau is loathed to throw you back into the mix so quickly after your release - you've hardly had time to process.' Andrew flicked his eyes to Booth, as he said, 'And I'm sure Booth would want you as far away from this case as he can get you - we can sympathise with that, but…'

Bones jumped in, 'I _need _this, Andrew. I need to _work _just like Booth does.' She looked to Booth now, squeezing his hand, 'You understand, don't you?' Searching her hopeful eyes, Booth nodded, then kissed her lips softly. When she looked back to Hacker he was smiling.

He lost his smile somewhat as he gently ordered, 'If things get too much - step away - _both _of you.' Bones nodded, then glanced to Booth who she could see agreed too.

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**Hamburg**

**Germany**

Stepping out of the five star hotel he'd stayed in last night, Nikolay walked left down the street towards the shopping district with the sun and a smile on his face. Reaching the first men's designer store he came to he went in just as they opened their doors for business. By the time he came out, an hour later, he had kitted himself out with new attire for his new life. Wearing one of his new suits, he walked on, having arranged for this clothes to be delivered to his hotel.

The next store he frequented was an Apple store. He purchased a sleek, newly released Ipad, an Ipod, and Iphone and equally sleek accruements. He didn't mind carrying those items. He checked his watch for the time, saw he had plenty, then ripped off that old faux leather-strapped metal timepiece, throwing into the nearest trash can. Then he walked into the next jewellers he came to. Ten minutes later he was admiring his new gold Rolex, thinking he was keeping the failing Euro Zone economies afloat with his purchases. A gold cigarette case and matching lighter were in his hip pocket along with his smoking-hot platinum VISA card, tucked safely inside is kid-leather wallet. The next store he went into was a travel agents.

Smiling at the pretty consultant, he sat down on the other side of her desk, and said softly, 'I vant to go to America - on a boat. Car ra-behan,'

She smiled wider, thinking commission, then asked, 'First class?' noting his fine threads and expensive watch.

'Da -,' he nodded, 'wid jingle bells on.' He grinned extremely wide, she sniggered attractively. 'I need visa, yes?'

'Yes, Sir. But we can arrange that for you here. You just need to fill in your details, passport number and pay a small fee. As long as you have no convictions, there shouldn't be a problem.'

'I ave no con-victions. Nikolay is _good _boy,' he said charmingly. She liked this guy very much, and he was quite cute too, she thought, looking him over discreetly. 'I vant to beee ummm from, from,' he struggled to find the words as his English nor German, weren't very good. He looked around for a map so he could explain what he wanted. Getting up, he went to the wall with a large world map, and pointed. 'From ere to ere, possible?' She joined him at the map, and looked puzzled.

'You want to go on a cruise ship from St Malo in France to the Caribbean?'

'Da. See _all_ islands. I drive to St Malo in car.'

'That's a _long _way, Sir.'

'Noo - no problem,' he balked at her concern. '_But _I must be in Caribe-han in eight, d-ays. I ave comrade to party wid.'

'Oookay. I'll see what we can do, Sir.' Nikolay smiled warmly, then handed her a card from the hotel he was staying in, and wrote on his room number.

'You call my room when arrange, da? I come pay you. Oh! I _must _go Cuba too,' he charmed with another smooth smile.

'Oh. Yes - its lovely, Sir.'

'You ave been?' he asked, clearly impressed. She nodded. 'You _so _lucky. Come for dinner tonight and tell me all 'bout Cuba, da?' She thought; _what the hell_, and agreed with a blushing nod. Nikolay waved sweetly, as he walked back out into the street, and strolled back to his hotel…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! **

**A/N: **Humm. Why does Nikolay _have _to go to Cuba? Will the Team find AD Thomas microwaved? Will Ange tell Jack what she has to do? Watch out for another chapter to be posted tomorrow where these and other questions will be answered in, **Pelant**. Hugs, Lebxeb. XX.


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: **All characters portrayed here are fictional. No infringement of rights intended. Bones & its characters are a product of Fox Inc. & not mine. No financial gain is received from this work of fiction.

**Summary: **"Nothing is what it seems…" - Seeley Booth.

**Rating: M **

Several chapters this week, as promised.

**Pelant**

**Chapter XVIII**

**Monday**

**Afternoon**

**Roof Of Downe House Hotel**

With the blazing sun at their backs Cam, Jack, Bones and Booth stood side by side, twenty feet away from the telecommunication dish in silence. Booth grit his jaw on seeing Thomas, and felt his muscles tense to almost cramping. Deep in that tension, he recited an internal prayer for a fallen hero, and for his widow.

'He doesn't look - _too _bad,' Jack said softly, recalling what Pelant had done to Inger Johannsen and Ezra Krane and had been expecting a grizzly sight. Seeing Thomas strapped to the dish with his head hanging to the side, he had to ask, not sure, 'Is he dead?' Thomas was clothed in a charcoal suit, and appeared completely unharmed. They couldn't see any blood or fluids or any broken bones; he just looked like he was asleep, but star-fished against the dish.

Bones walked over carefully, and stood beside the dish. With gloved hand she felt for a pulse behind Thomas' knee, because she was unable reach a limp wrist. Then she looked to Booth. 'I'll need steps.' He walked over too, then bent his knees, wrapped his arms around her upper thighs, and lifted her up. As steady as a rock, he held her with his cheek resting on her abdomen, and closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable. Bones gently felt for a pulse: there was nothing to sense but cold flesh. Then very slowly she lifted Thomas' head, which was directly adjacent to the feed horn. Cam gasped in a soft breath in shock. His eyes were open but his corneas were frosted; the microwave radiation having given him almost instant cataracts. That was her conformation of the damage done behind those lifeless eyes. Cam and Jack, seeing his ghosted eyes gulped their understanding and revolution, and dropped their sickened eyes away.

'He's deceased,' Bones confirmed from above Booth: the resonance of her confirmation seeped in through his ear, and angered his battered soul. Feeling her hand settle on his head, he carefully let her down. She looked into his burning eyes, and whispered, 'I'm so sorry, Booth. I know you had a great deal of respect for him.' Chewing his bottom lip, he nodded to accept her condolences, then to his continued surprise, she stepped closer, and hugged him preciously, saying barely audible at his ear, 'We'll get Pelant for this - I _promise _you that.' He squeezed her a fraction tighter, stepped back, then he walked away. Cam and Jack joined Bones, and they began to work the crime scene…

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**Booth and Bones' Home**

Sally, Parker's sitter, looked up from reading 50 Shades Of Black on her Kindle, wondering why it was so quiet in the house suddenly. Parker had been in his room most of the morning playing an XBox game, and grunting and cooing his delight or annoyance throughout the challenge. But now everything had quietened down, so she went to check on him. His door was ajar so she peered through the gap. On the bed was Doctor Brennan's laptop, he was sat in front of it, and was concentrating hard on what he was doing. She thought he probably wasn't allowed to play with it, so she pushed the door aside, then spotted a pile of blank DVD's on his nightstand alongside Christine's baby monitor. As she entered, Parker jumped slightly, and snapped the lid closed quickly at getting caught. He blushed crimson.

'What are you doing with that, Parker? I really don't think she'd want you to play with it?' Sally went to take it away but he held onto it tightly.

'You don't understand,' he said, then swallowed hard. Sally froze, then gently let go of the laptop, seeing his eyes cloud. 'You _mustn't _tell her - it's a surprise.' Curious, and seeing him nearly loosing his composure, she sat on the bed, waiting for his explanation.

'What's a surprise?' Parker rolled his head, not really wanting to tell her but knew he had to now. He lifted the lid again, and pushed a few keys, then turned the laptop screen so she could see. She saw beautiful images of Christine cooing happily in her crib watching his mobile turn slowly and playing a tune. Parker explained softly, 'I accidentally saw Bones crying last night in Christine's room - she was _really _sad…' Sally nodded, feeling empathy for him witnessing that emotional break. 'She said she missed Christine major big time. So - I thought I'd make her a DVD of all photos and video clips they'd taken of her, so she wouldn't feel so sad when she watched it.' Sally's eyes blurred at his cute explanation, thinking that was such a ultra-thoughtful thing to do. 'They have a camera in her nursery and some of the video from it is stored on here - I was just making a film for her of the best bits. _Pleeease_, Sally, don't tell her - you'll spoil the surprise,' he virtually begged her to keep his secret.

Sally gulped away her moved emotions, and smiled warmly at him. 'You carry on, Sweentness. I promise I won't tell her.' Parker brightened immediately, and sniffed. 'But make sure you put it back _just _where you found it when you're finished, ok?' Parker nodded his promise gleefully. She pecked his cheek, then left him to it…

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**Pelant's Residence**

**Monday**

**Afternoon**

Pelant was getting more and more agitated and angry at the lack of coverage of his stunt last night on the media channels. At first they'd been full of it this morning but now they were talking sport and what the President was doing today. He flicked regularly between the channels for the constantly repeated clips from the press interviews as the guests left after the ball that had been taken last night at the hotel, even those had been passed over for other inane topics. And what pissed him off the most his interview and comments had been passed over for some pathetic Senator's fuck-bitch model girlfriend that whined on about how scared she was when the cells started howling. He knew they'd only chosen to show her interview because of the depth of her plastic cleavage and the scandal their affair had caused in the corridors of power.

As he was just about to throw the remote at the falsely crying model he thought he caught a name on the ticker at the bottom of the screen he recognised. Narrowing his eyes, he missed the comment, so got onto his knees, and crawled closer to the TV, waiting for the snippet to come around again. He bit his lip, glaring at the screen, gripping the remote tightly. Then it slowly fed around again.

He read: **"**_Doctor Temperance Brennan; the famed Forensic Anthropologist of the Jeffersonian and best selling author of the 'Bones' series of crime novels held on remand, awaiting trial accused of the murder of Ethan Sawyer has been released and all charges dropped by the prosecution…" _An animalistic growl rumbled up from Pelant's belly, and blared out of his screaming-wide mouth in a primal spittle-filled wail of wrath. He sprung to his feet, naked and sinew taut, then kicked the TV over in his rage. He hurled the remote which hit a window, and cracked the pane. Then he took out his outrage on any inanimate object he came across, as he vented his ire at being outmanoeuvred and missing that major development. He blitzed the room; tossing chairs, a table, punched walls, and hurled anything he could pick up.

**(( **Across the street, Strand said to Franks, 'He's losing it. Are you getting all this?' Nodding, Franks smiled wryly, recording Pelant's destruction of his lounge via the FBI's bugging cameras. 'He's obviously read the news ticker… This is smart move by us and a fucking clever idea by Apricot too.' **)) **

Pelant came to a halt, panting heavily on a single rational thought. He suddenly realised that the media coverage of the events last night had been blacked-out from the TV channels, and that incensed him too. He tore into his cum-stale bedroom, and began to throw clothes on. Five minutes later he slammed his front door, and ran down the street towards the subway station.

**(( **Strand informed into his walkie-talkie, 'Target has left the building. I repeat, target has left the building…' **"**_Roger that, STI_**," **came the sombre reply. **))**

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Jeffersonian Labs**

**Monday**

**Afternoon**

Having removed AD Thomas' remains in secret from the Hotel's roof and safely delivered them to the Jeffersonian: Booth and AD Hacker supported a distraught and inconsolable Glenda Thomas as she formally identified her husband, and said her final goodbye to him. Sweets hovered outside of the room, waiting to take her to a private room to offer some grief counselling and assist in the practical steps that were going to need to be taken. Everyone's mood, inevitably, were gravely sombre.

Bones and Cam waited in silence in her office for permission to perform an autopsy. Jack hovered edgily in the doorway, sipping coffee, with his eyes glued to the closed door he could hear Glenda's sobs coming from behind. 'Here she comes,' Jack informed quietly, rolling inside the office and out of sight of the grieving widow. Moments later they saw, through the glass windows, Sweets and Hacker physically supporting Glenda as they led her away. A few paces behind Booth followed them, looking pale and still extremely intense.

Booth came into the office as Cam and Bones stood, and stared at him. 'She's identified him and given permission.' They all nodded soberly. Cam and Jack quietly left the office. He thought Bones was about to follow them out, and turned to go too, but she sought his hand, and pushed the door closed, preventing him from leaving.

She could sense the anger coming off in hot waves, his eyes were dark and didn't seek hers; if anything she could see he was avoiding them. She felt all his dark emotions and could empathise with them all. 'Please, look at me, Booth.' He rolled his head, not wanting her to see his barely controlled rage: ashamed of it. Carefully lifting his chin with her free hand, she looked into him. 'Go home and be with Parker. We'll be some time yet. I'll call you when we're done.' Booth grit his jaw, and shook his head, dropping his eyes away again. She eased him gently into her body, and slid her arms around him in a hugely comforting way. Booth couldn't remember her being so openly affectionate to him as she had been in the last two days; usually it was he that instigated their cuddles or kisses. But it was like she was making a point of being overtly loving; he didn't have a problem with that, in truth he was thrilled, but this change was throwing him off balance.

Bones was relieved when he reciprocated her embrace tenderly, and rested his brow in the crook of her neck, and sighed. 'I'm concerned for you, Booth,' she whispered between her immaculately soft, affectionate kisses of his head, caressing his back.

'I'll be ok - don't worry bout me,' he deflected, smiling at her but she could tell it was a watery false smile; it was to placate and barely masked his internal struggles.

'I do - because you feel everything so deeply and personally,' she whispered over his lips. 'Its what's always drawn me to you - the bright essential part of you. Its why I love you and always will…' Moved, Booth settled into her again, held her a little tighter, breathing her calmness down into his body. 'But - these dark emotions taint something that is very precious to you.' She placed her palm over his heart; he understood what she was referring to with that delicate touch. Booth looked up into her sparkling eyes, and swallowed. 'Did you keep your promise to me?' Booth nodded, assuring her he'd gone to church to find the thing he'd lost. She smiled just a fraction, caressing his jaw, then placed her lips plumb on his, letting their heat seep in to his, hoping he could find solace in them. Curling her palm around the back of his head, she opened her lips against his, and touched the tip of her tongue on his. Booth felt shivers run his spine, when she slowly tickled the end of his tongue with hers while she mouthed her kisses to him. The ultimate tenderness of her kiss shook his core, and made him hitch a breath in his throat. To his recollection she'd never kissed him so slowly or filled it with such devout love and controlled passion. She went a little deeper, got wetter, softer and ever more sensual. A hand drifted up his spine and caressed his hair, while she shifted slowly against him in an unmistakeably erotic way. His body not only responded immediately to those subtle movements, but he felt himself stagger when his dark emotions were replaced with thoughts and emotions of a whole other kind. It was like she was making love to him but without them getting naked and inside one another, he thought. He knew this wasn't the time or the place for them but the longing he'd felt for her was aching his muscles; festering in his marrow, clawing at his heart, and inflaming his loins. Consequently he broke the kiss suddenly, unable to tolerate the sensuousness of it; knowing if he didn't stop her now, he wouldn't be able stop himself. 'Bones,' he muttered, searching her misted eyes, then looked at her moist lips, then back up to her eyes. 'Steady on,' he warned with a boyish smile, then flicked his eyes down between them. She purposely ignored his reference to his ardour pulsing between them, and kept her gaze on him, as she dried his lips with her thumb pad.

'If you won't go home, take a walk in the gardens for a while. Andrew said to step away if things got too much if only for a short period to regroup. In this instance I think that's good advice and you should follow it.'

Booth grinned very hard, seeing her getting lost in his mellowed eyes. 'I love this new touchy, feely you. Its kinda blowing me away - but in a _great _way.' Bones almost smiled.

'I've come to realise these moments we share are special -,' Bones confessed, 'and we should make time to experience them when we can.' She fell short of saying because she don't know what may happen to them in the future with the spectre of Pelant hanging over them. 'We must cherish them and each other. Witnessing Mrs Thomas' grief focuses the mind on what's truly important in life, doesn't it?' Moved by her explanation, Booth nodded to agree, lifted her hand in his to his lips, and kissed inside her palm. Lacing her fingers through his, she led him out of the office, and walked him towards the exit door past the busy platform. Neither of them letting its commotion draw their attention. 'I'll see you later, Booth.' She kissed his lips tenderly again, before she slowly let go of his hand, and he walked outside into the Jeffersonian gardens and the sun…

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**Simultaneously **

**Apricot: Team I**

**30FT Beneath Pelant's Residential Street.**

**Disused Subway Line**

'Here - look, footprints,' Hawks informed, pointing through the flashlight's beam. His partner nodded, seeing them too. 'It can't be far now.' They cautiously continued walking, following the prints that made a distinct track in the dust. The rodent infested old platform and phantom train tracks that went nowhere now eventually trailed off into pitch darkness ahead of them. But as they followed the prints the locating equipment they carried began to bleep faster: they had reached their destination directly below Pelant's home. 'In there,' Hawks said, seeing a recess in the tunnel wall and a door; an escape route for stranded passengers in the event of an accident. 'It'll probably be booby trapped,' Hawks reminded. His partner nodded, and scanned the entrance for trip wires with the beam of his flashlight.

Seeing none, they exchanged nods to continue. Hawks pushed the handle down, and opened the creaking heavy metal door. A set of cement stairs spiralled upwards, again with footprints to follow. They went up one flight as softly as mice and just cautiously as before, with their brows beading with sweat in the stagnant air. The stairs ended suddenly in a low ceiling, making them have to duck. Above their heads was a ragged circular hole in the reinforced cement ceiling: obviously deliberately cut out from above for access to the subterranean, forgotten subway. Hawks gingerly stood up through the hole, and shone his flashlight around the space.

'What can you see?' Jackson asked.

'I see a make-shift door - more footprints coming from it, no cameras or laser trips. This must be his basement or cellar.' Jackson thought that was a reasonable assumption. 'There's a gap under the door. I'm going up.'

'Be careful,' Jackson breathed, wiping his sweat from under his helmet on his brow. Hawks jumped up, and pulled himself through the hole, then walked to the door. He checked it for trip wires, seeing none, he said, 'Come up - its safe.' Jackson levered himself up too, and looked around via his flashlight and his helmet cam's light. 'Break out the fibre optic camera,' Hawks instructed, peering under the gap at bottom of the door. '_Bingo_,' he said, seeing a room behind the door, and knew it was Pelant's basement lair. Jackson did as instructed, and they carefully fed the bendy camera under the door, and began to record everything in the room via it.

Forty five minutes later they were back on the surface with the evidence they needed. In the back of a van, as they were whisked away back to the FBI, they high-fived their relief and triumph, sipping from bottles of frosted water; their objective achieved…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! **

**An Hour Later**

**Monday Afternoon**

**Jeffersonian Platform**

Cam came onto the platform at pace, and informed Bones and Jack, 'The tox screen results - he was pumped full of street heroine via the puncture wound in his stomach. I assume to sedate and make him compliant.'

'Umm. He would appear inebriated and euphoric which would have been less suspicious if they encountered anyone on the way to the roof,' Bones offered her theory, while peering at Thomas' skull.

'Exactly. The dose would have worn off, assuming he was injected at around three PM, by approximately six or seven.'

'Would he have felt any pain?' Jack asked thoughtfully. Bones carefully lifted Thomas' metal plate to reveal his shrivelled, eradiated brain matter below. 'Gah, Jesus,' Jack muttered, repulsed.

'The brain doesn't sense pain, but he must have felt the plate heating up.' Cam nodded to agree with that assessment. 'What's so heinous about this type of murder, is that he would've realised as he came out of his heroine stupor, that his motor functions were being affected, similar to someone experiencing a stroke. They know something is wrong but can do nothing about it - it must have been terrifying. He undoubtedly would have panicked. The ligature marks and resulting abrasions suggests he struggled to free himself for as long as he could. His vocal capacity would've been affected fairly quickly, so he couldn't shout for help. Eventually his autonomic functions would gradually fail; his heartbeat would become erratic, lungs unable to inflate, then eyesight would fail too. It was an emotional deliberate torture over several hours, all the while knowing there was nothing he could do to save himself. And even if he could, or was rescued, his brain may have been irreparably damage and he would have lived in a vegetative state on life support indefinitely.'

'What I don't understand is why he picked Thomas?' Jack asked. 'Why did Pelant scratch _hypocrite _on the dish?' Cam shook her head, not knowing why. Suddenly Sweets came onto the platform, and they all looked at him.

Hearing Jack's question, Sweets enlightened them, 'AD Thomas served with distinction in the Gulf War and was decorated several times. He was also awarded a Purple Heart.' Then he added cryptically, 'But there was, _one _incident in that career that personally haunted him though…' They all looked up to listen intently. Sweets pushed his hands into his pants pocket, as he explained softly, 'He was the Commander of a covert unit. He ordered his unit to take out a similar Iraqi unit in Kirkuk. It was an unmitigated disaster. Nearly all of his unit were either killed or tortured to death for what they knew. Three of his unit eventually escaped but there were questions asked about his _refusal _to rescue his men and official complaints lodged against him for that decision. Later there was an enquiry, a court marshal, he was controversially exonerated on all counts and the records sealed. One of the three survived almost intact - but the other two escaped too late to save their gangrenous limbs. I expect Pelant believed Thomas was a hypocrite because he was raising money for the families of the men he'd left to die and those that lost limbs while he got off unscathed.'

'So Pelant thought the court marshal was a cover up and wanted to expose his hypocrisy and the military's,' Jack stated. Sweets shrugged a shoulder, not committing to an answer either way.

Sweets stepped closer to the gurney, and looked into Thomas' face. 'He struggled with feelings of guilt and remorse for many years and did all he could to help those servicemen and their families that continue to suffer as a result of that War.'

'Maybe one of his units survivors put Pelant onto him: one of the ones that complained about him?' Jack postulated. 'You know, like the daughter of the guy that committed suicide.'

Bones interjected, 'Sofia Burman.'

Jack nodded. 'Yeah. She and Ezra Krane tried to expose the FBI for covering up for their informant, Daniel Cussudo, that embezzled her father.'

'I _will _speak to the three survivors, in fact… I've already spoken to one of them today,' Sweets informed gently, staring into Bones' eyes over Thomas' corpse. Then all eyes settled on her, knowing the _almost intact _survivor Sweets was talking about, was Booth. They could see she was already fully aware of Booth's military connection with AD Thomas, and by that link, Pelant was again publicly trying to throw suspicion on him…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Jeffersonian Gardens**

Sat on a bench in the strong sunshine, Booth stared unblinking into the fountain ahead, deep in thought and painful memories. With his arms stretched out over the back of the bench, he closed his dry eyes, tipping his face towards the sun above, letting it spark a rainbow of dancing colours behind his lids. He listened to the rolling screeches of swifts high above, and felt the suns rays warm his troubled heart. He took a deep inhale, and attempted to blow out that breath with some of his anger.

'Great day, isn't it? Makes ya glad to be alive,' a voice said beside him. Shocked, Booth lurched for his gun, and snapped his eyes open. 'Hey, relax,' said Daniel, putting his palms up in surrender. Booth sagged, and pushed his gun firmly back in his holster, wondering where the hell he'd come from.

'You should give me some warning - the mood I'm in I could've shot you.' Booth noted his black armless t-shirt had a motif that read: _Repent, the end is nigh _in red letters that looked like they were written in dripping blood.

'Humm. You're a hard man to find alone. You run fast though - I was impressed.' Booth felt like thumping him for that sarcastic quip, but didn't, because he then asked sincerely, 'How's the Doctor and the kid holding up?'

'What do you think?' Booth leant over his knees, staring into the fountain again. Daniel copied his posture, and smiled at him when Booth looked into his eyes.

He asked, lighting a cheroot with a silver storm lighter, 'Did you understand the message?' Booth nodded.

'Yeah, we got it -,' he confirmed, staring back to the fountain, Daniel took a long drag, nodding slowly, 'and the deadline.'

'Are you enjoying the postcards?' Booth snagged his head back, looking puzzled by the question.

'What about them? We thought they were just to let us know their still safe.' Daniel nodded to confirm that was true but there was obviously something more to them than that. 'Is there a message in them too - what is it, Daniel?'

Daniel got up, walking away, as he said, 'My name's _not _Daniel, Seeley...' Booth trotted after him to his glittering jet and chrome Harley, with an acute sense of anticipation churning his stomach. He slung his leg over the bike, and started it up.

'What's your name today then?' Booth asked, knowing whatever he said it would be an essential clue and probable cipher to unlock the clues in the postcards.

As he revved the bike, and tapped the gear shift with his steel toe capped boot, he shouted over the crackling din in Booth's ear, 'Wormwood!' Then he sped off like a bat out of hell with his left fist held aloft in a power salute…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**A/N: **Daniel is now Wormwood? What's the connection with the postcards? What did Apricot find in Pelant's lair? Will Parker find more than expected on Bones' laptop? Where did Pelant run off to? Find out the answers to these questions and more in the rapidly approaching next instalments of **Pelant**. Hugs, Lebxeb. XX


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: **All characters portrayed here are fictional. No infringement of rights intended. Bones & its characters are a product of Fox Inc. & not mine. No financial gain is received from this work of fiction.

**Summary: **Bones is home, Thomas is dead, but Pelant is shaken and being stalked. "Nothing is what it seems…" - Seeley Booth.

**Rating: M **

**Thanks: **

**Pelant**

**Chapter XIX**

**Monday Evening**

**Hamburg **

**Germany**

**Suite 103**

Helga looked down between her spread, quivering thighs to Nikolay who was tongue-ing her into blissful oblivion and it was all her doing. She recalled them having dinner, talking endlessly about her life, then his, and noting they had a clear chemistry. He explained where he was from, about his family in Belarus and how he got so wealthy. He'd told her he played the Euro Lottery online and had won it two weeks ago. He was extremely handsome, intelligent and fit, while having those rare qualities of being humble and a complete gentleman to boot. But even when they came up to his suite to finalise his passport, visa details and pay online for his trip, he didn't make a move on her although she sensed he wanted to. She didn't know what possessed her but she didn't want him to leave without knowing him, so bravely kissed him just to see what his reaction was.

She remembered his surprised expression now, and smiled, caressing his head, and what he said, "_I aven't been kissed like dat for many years_." That was a challenge and a green light to her, so she hadn't hesitated.

Feeling her delectable orgasm build then rip through her, Helga attempted to elegantly muffle yet more cries of ecstasy behind her clamped lips, but failed when he slid into her body with his, and began to gently make love to her to prolong her pleasure. She opened her eyes to see his ripped body hovering of her. She kissed his wet lips, and rolled him onto his back, and took over. He laughed gently, saying, 'You are very beautiful when you ave orgasm and a _little _vild.' She chuckled, and kissed him, thinking how utterly cute he was.

An hour later three condoms had been used, and he was exhausted, laying heavily over her as he recovered. She caressed his slick back, peppering his shoulder with kisses, when she felt his tears on her cheek. She lost her smile, and urged him to look at her.

'What's wrong, Nikolay?' she asked softly. He searched her eyes, clearly having an internal debate with himself. 'You can tell me.'

He took her hand, and placed it on his neck. 'Feel,' he instructed quietly. She did, sensing lumps on his throat. 'I'm sick - thyroid cancer. I am a good boy but ave _bad _thoughts.' She thought he meant he was considering suicide, and shook her head, feeling her eyes burn.

'No, Nikolay, don't do that. Think of your Sister, your Mother - you have so much to live for now.' He smiled, and rolled off her carefully. She draped herself over him, and held him preciously. 'You can pay for the best treatments now.'

He grinned, hearing her genuine sadness and concern, cuddling her close. 'Da, don't vorry 'bout me, my _beautiful _sexy, Helga. I just get sad some-times.' She nodded, pecked his cheek, and lazily caressed over his abs. 'Vould you like more sex - cos I do?' he asked cheekily after a few moments. She propped up onto an elbow, and giggled at his waggling eyebrows.

She offered mildly sarcastic, thinking there weren't many surfaces left they hadn't utilised this evening, 'Where _this _time - shower?'

He waggled his head, not committing, then suggested with a flare of his saucy eyes, 'Outside - on da balcony..?'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Monday Evening**

**FBI Operations Room**

**Apricot Teams Attending**

Caroline marched in like Britannia with a covered double shot latte in one hand and a half chewed cream cheese bagel in the other; her diet forgotten. 'This better be good, Chick-a-dees, or I'm puttin' in for triple overtime!'

Hacker smiled, and gestured to a seat for her to take. She sat down, and slurped her coffee. 'We've got some footage from inside his basement room.' Caroline cocked a brow, then took a bite from her bagel, waving it for them to roll the video. 'Hit the lights, please,' Hacker instructed, and sat down beside her, looking to her chewing.

She quipped just as the lights went down, 'Don't cha be lookin' at my bagel, Cher, get your own kosher heart attack.' Then she asked, 'What am I looking at?'

'This is the disused subway we saw on the town plans. The line was diverted and the stations shut down in the Sixties. It runs for a mile or so in each direction.' Caroline nodded, peering through the hazy images, just making out the tunnel. Hacker went on, 'It runs virtually parallel with his street, in the early Seventies they build the estate over it. We guess he chose this house specifically for access. We believe this is how he's getting out of house unseen.' She nodded her understanding, taking another bite. 'That's the old platform -,' Hacker pointed, 'there - you can see footprints.'

'Yeah, and a lotta mice and rats - they're puttin' me off my supper,' she warned with a grimace.

'They follow the prints into the tunnel and here - see? There's a safety recess and door. It's practically underneath his house. They didn't find any booby traps. We suspect he's pretty sure we don't know about it or he would have rigged it.'

Caroline snorted. 'Well, we didn't know about it till this morning when that tip-top Agent Shaw discovered it with some damn _fine _lateral thinking.' Hacker nodded to concede that point. 'Ok, I see,' Caroline said, seeing the whole cut out the cement to gain access.

'This is what we wanted you to see. It answers a lot of our questions.' Caroline saw the Agents slip the fibre optic camera under the door, and then the screen changed to show his lair.' She peered at all the objects on his desk and a funky looking laptop which was running a program. There were electronic and wind up toys; old computer consoles and their handsets, reels of wire and electrical cables, telephones, retro cell phones, CD players and radios, even broken televisions and video players. Plus, of course, the over clichéd serial-killer wall of press cuttings and photos. 'He obviously cannibalises the components and uses them.' She nodded.

'That copper wire looks _veeery _much like the wire he used on the trip for the bomb,' she suggested. Hacker nodded slowly. 'Have we got a full inventory?'

'Yeah, nearly. We're compiling it now.'

Narrowing her eyes, Caroline suddenly barked, waving her hand, '_Wait!_ Stop, stop - go back.' Hacker looked behind him, and waved for them to do as she'd requested. 'On that shelf - _there,_' she barked again, the image was halted. She got up to get a better look. Then she muttered, tilting her head to the side, 'I recognise that - where have I seen that before?' she asked herself aloud. Hacker came to her side, not sure what she was focused on.

'What - the purple Furby?'

'No, _next _to it - the digital alarm clock. I've seen that somewhere before, the _exact _same one.' Then her blood ran cold, and dropped the rest of her bagel to the floor as the realisation dawned. Snapping her eyes to Hacker, she confirmed, 'I saw that exact same digital alarm clock in _Booth's _bedroom.'

'What were you doing in his bedroom?' Hacker winced when she slapped him around his bicep for being obtuse.

'Pelant planted bugs all over their mighty hut, right? What if he planted a _bomb _there too?' Hacker paled…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Simultaneously **

**Fire Escape Ladder **

**Building Adjacent To Downe House Hotel**

'STI to HQ. Target climbing fire escape ladder, shall I follow? Over.' Strand enquired into his discreet wrist mic, observing Pelant from the corner of the alleyway.

The reply came back in his earpiece, **"**_No. Hang back. Let him think he lost you_**. **_Over_."

'Roger. HQ.**' **Strand took up a position across the street, and waited out of sight in the shadows.

Pelant reached the top of the ladder, panting heavily, and stared across to the roof opposite. The dish he'd strapped Thomas to was being dismantled by a team of mobile network engineers. But he could see a section had been blow torched out of it where he'd scratched: _hypocrite_. It was clear they'd already removed Thomas and were covering up the incident with minimal disturbance and under the cover of darkness.

Strand watched Pelant race down the metal stairs, and informed, 'Target on the move - he's coming down and doesn't look happy. Over.'

"_Roger that…_"

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Booth and Bones' Home**

Stepping out of the shower, Booth put on his robe, and opened the cupboard door below the sinks. He pulled out a spray to clean the shower, but when he pulled out a cloth a pot of pills spilled out onto the tiles too. He squatted, and picked them up. Reading the label, he saw they were Bones' and the date on them, assuming they were painkillers to numb her cracked rib. But he was suspicious as to why she would hide them. Then he realised they weren't painkillers but antibiotics that had been issued to her while in prison. His mind began to race, and guts twisted with suspicions.

He heard her come into the bedroom, so slipped them into his robe pocket as she knocked the door, and poked her head around it with a smile. He waved her in, and started to spray the shower with the cleaner. 'I forgot to tell you, Cam received a postcard this morning,' she informed, loading her tooth brush with paste, preparing for bed. Booth paused what he was doing, and looked over his shoulder. She smiled wider, turned, and leant on the counter, as she paused brushing to explain, 'She found a hair _deliberately _placed underneath the stamp with just a few millimetres visible.'

'Whose hair was it?'

She confirmed with a delirious smile, 'Christine's - _Christine's_, Booth.' She turned again to spit, and rinse. Booth stood behind her, and cuddled her tenderly. She leant back into him, and looked into his reflection in the mirror. 'She's safe, Booth, our little girl is safe.' He nodded, kissing her throat, and caressing her stomach. Bones took his hands, and laced her finger through his, again to subtly stop him from getting more amorous. That was another rejection, Booth ticked his third box, absolutely sure now something was wrong. 'And guess what else I found out yesterday?' Booth shook his head, not going to guess, so she continued enthusiastically, 'Tasmin _isn't _HIV positive.' Booth's eyebrows rose into his hairline. 'She performed a test at home and read the literature incorrectly thinking she was positive. She never got the results verified by a clinician or retested and just told everyone she was infected.'

Still kissing her throat tenderly, he paused to say, 'Oh. Wow - that's _great _news.' Nodding, Bones grinned hard, clearly thrilled for her old cellmate and them. Then Booth probed carefully, 'Are you still taking painkillers, is that why you're scared for me to touch you in case I hurt you?' Bones froze, and stared into his eyes in the mirror.

She thought quickly. 'No,' she replied as casually as she could muster. 'I'm taking some when I feel sore, not all the time. And I'm not scared for you to touch me. See - you're touching me, do I look scared?'

Booth accused gently, 'No - but I know you, Bones. You're hiding something from me.' He saw the light in her eyes diminish along with most of her smile. 'I'm guessing because you're worried about my reaction to whatever it is you're hiding.' Bones watched him unlaced his fingers from hers, and place them on the edges of her robe over her chest, and he watched for her reaction over her shoulder in the mirror's reflection.

Confirming his hunch, he saw her eyes cloud, as she placed her hands over his, and went to ease them off, with a tilt of her head. That gesture he took as her silent plea for him not to remove her robe. He refused to let go of her robe though, seeing her eyes begin to fill. 'Why don't you want to make love with me, Bones - you've always wanted to make love before?' She didn't reply to his gentle interrogation but knew she had to allay his concerns and divert his questions somehow; he wasn't strong enough yet to know the truth.

Making up her mind, she parried with, 'I love you, Booth.'

He almost smiled. 'I know that - but you're…' he trailed off as she grabbed his hand, and pulled him into bedroom as if on a mission to prove his suspicions were unfounded. She pushed him onto the bed on his back, and quickly untied his robe. Booth thought she had a look of a woman possessed but in a hyper-unemotional way. 'Bones - wha…?' his question caught in his throat as she took the whole of his semi-flaccid cock in her mouth, and worked him to attention in ten rapid heartbeats. Wide-eyed he watched her, stunned by her baffling behaviour.

Bones wasn't surprised by how fast to rose as he was practically at half mast around her since she'd been home. 'Bones, stop its - ooh. _Christ_,' he growled, as she spun with her back to him, dropped her pj bottoms, and swiftly, unexpectedly mounted him.

Slamming her eyes closed, Bones bit her pain away, obviously not ready for the sudden invasion of his tall member. Booth sucked in a breath through his clenched teeth as her rasping flesh enveloped him. 'Oooh. No, Bones. Not like this,' he whimpered as she punched her pelvis down and rhythmically hard on his straining erection. He gripped her hips, attempting to slow down her wild gallop. 'Wait. God, slow down, Bones. I can't… hold, _shit _- hold it,' he grumbled, unable to control himself for her under her sudden assault. This wasn't what he'd envisage for them on her return; this was ugly and not anything close to making love and connecting with her again.

Bones knew he was on a hair trigger, and as she felt him inevitably respond to her rapid thrusting, she cupped under his solid balls, and pushed up hard. His body jerked violently and he swore, exploding inside her. Feeling his hot spurts ease her discomfort, Bones slowed down, opened her screwed up eyes, hearing him grunting his climax behind her. Almost immediately, on the brink of tears, she uncoupled from him, pulled up her pj's, then walked directly into the bathroom. Panting, Booth snapped his head up, then charged into the bathroom before she could lock the door on him again.

She looked stunned, and she staggered back when he grabbed her shoulders. 'What the _FUCK _was that?' he demanded an answer; incensed and deeply hurt. 'That wasn't making love that was _fucking _and the ugliest, _fastest _one-sided fuck in _HISTORY_!'

Bones said calmly, 'Keep your voice down - Parker will hear.' She dropped her eyes from his, and tied up his robe. He looked down, completely confused at her action to cover him up.

'What are you _doing_? Stop that.' He knocked her hands away. 'Bones, _look _at me.' He lifted up her chin, and saw her tears spilling onto her cheeks, his heart imploded, seeing her traumatised by what she'd just done. Still trembling, he crushed her close, asking, 'What are the antibiotics for? I found them in the cupboard. Stop lying to me.' He took the pill pot from his pocket to show her, praying she'd open up now he'd confronted her with the evidence.

Bones wiped her eyes, and hung her head, knowing she shouldn't have tried to deceive him even though her motive was just and for his own good. But she'd only made him more angry, confused and suspicious.

Out of options, Bones stepped back from him, and held his perplexed gaze. Swallowing, she then carefully, and very slowly, untied her robe, then paused only briefly before she lifted her top to show him. Booth watched her eyes slowly look down to her midriff, and followed them with his own…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

Poised to tap their bedroom door, Parker paused when he heard swearing and shouting from inside. He held Bones' laptop in his hands, and jigged about on the spot, not knowing what to do for the best. He looked at the screen again at the point where he'd frozen the image of a man with a vicious smirk aimed at Christine's bedroom camera. He wasn't that clueless; Parker knew this was the man that had threatened his Dad and framed Bones for her friends murder.

As things seemed to quieten down, Parker could hear sirens in the distance and then the home phone began to ring…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

With Hacker's cell phone at her ear, Caroline commanded him over the flashing lights and wailing sirens, 'COME ON-_FASTER!_' They were leading the Bomb Disposal Unit, and a six strong Apricot team. When they screeched around the corner into Booth's residential street a paramedic unit tagged on the end of the speeding convoy from another direction…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

Like a bolt shot from a crossbow Booth tore out into the bedroom, and opened the drawer of his nightstand to retrieve his weapon. '_NO_, Booth!' She tried to stop him, pulling on his arm, and tried to reason with him, 'He's not worth a bullet or life in prison!' Booth was seeing only red though, and wanted revenge for her disfigurement and the heartache Pelant had inflicted on his love and family. 'I can fix this. Plastic surgery will…' she trailed off as he looked into her streaming pleading eyes. 'Put it back, _please_,' she begged. Booth shook his head, his eyes cold and rippled with murderous intent she couldn't appease. She understood this was the straw that had broken not just his back but his heart as well. He was a keg about to explode with the fuse almost down to the powder.

Booth slammed the drawer shut, and ripped open their bedroom door with Bones hanging on his robe tails. Parker stepped back into his bedrooms' open door to get out of his way, terrified by all the teary eyes, shouting and seeing his Dad's gun.

The alarm clock teetered on the rocking nightstand then slowly tipped backwards against the outer wall. Toppling over 180 degrees: the mercury switch destabilised, completing the circuit inside; triggering the inevitable explosion…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

Pulling up outside the house there was deafening heart-stopping explosion:

!DIZZBOOOMM!

Caroline instinctually ducked as the upper floor bedroom in Booth and Bones' house blasted out across the front yard and street; decapitating the cherry trees top branches. A screaming tongue of orange flame shot out from the blast zone, while an instantaneously flash of white light seared their retinas. Even the bowing glass of the vehicle couldn't protect them from its heat; temporarily blinded them, and disorientated. Their vans and cars rocked and were clattered by splintered, flaming two-by-fours; shattered glass and roof tiles. A mangled brass bedstead spun out of the air, accompanied by sheets of rock wall and a thick plume of plaster dust.

'God-_damn _that BASTARD!' Caroline blared, and was the first out of car, and ran up the drive, flinging open the front door. Leaping from the SUV, Hacker shouted his warning at her not to enter but she didn't hear it or chose not to. She looked around the smoky lounge, then instantly headed up the debris covered stairs into the hall with no thought for her own safety.

'Aaww. _Jesus_. BOOTH?' she called out, seeing a limp hand holding a gun under a pile of smouldering rock wall. She climbed over the wood and plaster, tossing scrap aside to get to his hand. She took the gun, and put her hand in his, unable to distinguish the rest of him from the grey rubble. She felt him squeeze it, which charged her with more energy, then he lifted his head slowly. She could see his brown eyes twinkle, blinking the dust off his frosted lashes, and sticking to his bleeding lacerations.

He was alive, and thanked her God for that at least.

Caroline's heart was pounding, and began to cough in the clouds of caustic smoke and dust. 'Come on, Cher, give me your other hand,' she urged. Booth reached for her other hand just as Hacker joined in to help her pull him out. Caroline was already throwing rubble out of the hole that was the remnants of their hallway to find another body, while Hacker dragged Booth to relative safety.

Moments later, to her astonishment, Booth scrambled groggily beside her, and began ripping away the debris too, with his eyes streaming, making rivulets of pink skin visible through the grey dust and blood on his face. '_Bones _- Parker? Bones - _Parker_? he called out desperately for a return answer, sobbing his terror. Finally they saw two dust covered bodies under a door. Caroline and Booth lifted his split charred bedroom door to see Bones laying face down over Parker, half in and half out of his bedroom. Not able to breathe with fear, Booth fell to his knees, and with trembling hand, touched Parker's face delicately. Booth snatched a breath as Parker blinked open his eyes, saw his Dad, then started to weep.

'It's ok - it's ok,' Booth tried to calm him.

'I thought I was dead - gone to hell not heaven, Dad,' he bleated. Booth stroked his matted hair, kissing his brow, baptising him with his dripping tears of relief.

'Are you hurt?' Parker shook his head.

'I don't think so.'

The corridor was suddenly filled with people clearing away debris and shouting instructions. Water began to be pumped into what was left of the bedroom from the street to dowse the small fires that had started.

The terrified young boy looked to Bones laying over him. 'Bones isn't moving, Dad,' Parker whimpered, feeling her weight crushing his chest. Booth rolled his head in physical and emotional agony, looking at her still and silent. Flashbacks to her poignant words this afternoon flooded back; her delicate touch, her loving kiss, her beautiful smile and her tears, all dissolved him too. Collapsing with shock and terror, Booth watched as Caroline checked her neck pulse, then looked to him.

'She's breathing. I think she's just knocked out.' Booth sobbed a pant, squeezing Parker's hand, seeing him trembling uncontrollably with his shock. Hacker and Caroline picked her up off Parker, and carried her carefully passed Booth as he followed with his streaming eyes. Then he rolled to Parker, tossed the trashed laptop aside, and scooped him into his arms. Parker wrapped his unharmed limbs around his father, and held on as he stood shakily, and staggered down the corridor. Other rescuers tried to prize him off Booth but neither wanted to be separated and refused to be. Paramedic's were waiting down stairs in the lounge as they entered it. Laid down, Bones was coming around having being given oxygen, and a bloody wound to the back of her skull being assessed and temporarily dressed.

'Is there anybody else in the house?' Hacker asked Booth when he slumped to the floor beside the couch they had laid Bones on. He was in the paramedics way but he didn't care, he just needed to be near her. In answer to Hacker Booth shook his head, unable to take his eyes from Bones' rolling ones. He saw her fingers searching for something, and knew it was him she needed. Still clutching Parker tightly, and he him, Booth placed his head next to her hand, and felt her stroke his hair, and her mumble something under the oxygen mask. He shuffled closer, kissing her lacerated hand, dowsing that with his tears too.

She removed her mask, and huskily asked after, 'P-Parker?'

'I'm ok, Bones - you saved me with your squishy body,' he said cutely, taking her hand, and saw her attempt a smile, while a neck cuff was being put on her as a precaution. Booth lost it again, his composure shredding, and nodded to confirm that fact.

'I love you, I love you,' Booth murmured against her arm, while she caressed his head, and stared into his eyes. She felt her own eyes leaking down her temples as the Paramedic replaced her mask. Hacker and Caroline stood sentry over the battered family, barely holding their emotions in check, hearing and seeing their deeply loving exchanges.

One of the Bomb Squad came to Hacker and Caroline, and explained quietly and discreetly, 'The worst of the blast was pushed outwards through the outer wall. The bedroom door protected them from the worst of it. They must've been in the hall or they wouldn't have survived. If the baby was in the nursery…' He shook his head to indicate Christine wouldn't have been so fortunate. He concluded, understating, 'They were _really _lucky.' Caroline flicked her eyes to heaven, thankful for small mercies and the miracle.

'Sweep this place for any other explosives -,' Hacker ordered quietly, sneering, 'check the _fucking _U-bends - _got _it?' The Bomb Squad commander nodded gravely.

Joined by the Apricot team now, sternly Hacker ordered them under his breath, 'Seal this place up. I want armed guards posted here twenty-four-seven. This is their home first _and _a crime scene second. Protect their property with your _lives. _This family have been through enough already.' The Apricot Commander got to work, instructing his team.

The paramedics wheeled in two stretchers prompting Caroline. She whispered in Hacker's ear, 'We need to get them checked over then to safety. And I know _just _the place for some R and R.' He nodded solemnly to agree, knowing she meant Jack's secure bunker…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**A/N: **Was Nikolay implying his bad thoughts were about committing suicide or thoughts of vengeance? Is Parker's thoughtful idea to cheer Bones up in tatters now? The FBI must have enough evidence to arrest Pelant, surely? So why haven't they? Will Booth and Bones finally get some much needed R&R? And how will they rebuild their not so might hut? Look out for the answers to these and other questions in the next instalments of, **Pelant - **coming _very _soon. As always, hugs, and sincere thanks for reading this far. Lebxeb. XX.


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: **All characters portrayed here are fictional. No infringement of rights intended. Bones & its characters are a product of Fox Inc. & not mine. No financial gain is received from this work of fiction.

**Summary: **Bones and Booth are forced to retreat to safety and go underground where the team regroup. Pelant is shaken and being stalked ever more closely. "Nothing is what it seems…" - Seeley Booth.

**Rating: M **

**Thanks**: I've been overwhelmed by all the wonderful comments and reviews for this piece. Thank U all so much for your contributions and loyalty. XX

I feel a little respite from all the drama is called for, so crack open a bottle of your fav tipple and make the most of the calm…

**Pelant**

**Chapter XX**

**Jack's Bunker**

**The Day After The Night Before**

Ange opened the double door quietly to one of her guest suites, and peered around it. Through the near darkness, she saw the adorable sight of Booth and Bones fast asleep facing one another, and holding hands loosely above Parker's head. He was on his back, and gently snoring between them. She recalled them not wanting to let Parker sleep alone when they finally arrived back from the Emergency Room having been given the all clear. And it was no surprise to her that Parker hadn't protested at the suggestion when it was mentioned. She was loathed to disturb them but Jack hissed behind her, holding their heavily laden brunch tray.

'Wake 'em up. Open the drapes or something,' he whispered. Ange tip-toed over to them, and drew them slowly aside to reveal the view of the lake shimmering in the early afternoon sun and the soft light bathed the family in its warm glow. Bones blinked open her eyes just as Booth opened his. They locked misty gazes, and smiled, holding hands a little tighter and more possessively. Then they looked down to Parker still snoring, and smiled a little stronger, safe in the knowledge they'd survived to fight another day.

Seeing them gently waking, Jack came in with a smile, proud of his brunch tray, and said softly, 'Morning, Guys. Coffee; fresh squeezed juice, waffles with blueberries and Chantilly cream, French toast, crispy bacon and various _essential _medications.' Bones laughed gently, and began to sit up gingerly. Jack placed the tray on occasional table by the huge bay windows which were hugged by two curved two-seater couches. With stomach rumbling, Booth oo-ed, and sat up too. Parker stirred, and they saw his nose twitch: catching the scent of food in the air.

Ange plated up some items for Booth and Bones, while Jack poured their guests coffee and juice from a jug, clearly relishing looking after them.

'How-ya feeling?' Ange enquired casually, coming over to Bones, and handing her a coffee.

She sniffed its rich aroma, sipped, then closed her eyes, dropping her head back. 'Harrr,' she sighed loudly. 'Much better now.' Ange grinned.

Booth leant towards Bones, and kissed her cheek. She in turn opened her eyes, and kissed his lips, just as Parker sat up, splitting them suddenly, and asked brightly, 'Is that French toast?' Booth and Bones laughed softly at his eagerness to eat. Jack nodded, waving him over. Parker didn't need telling twice, and hopped off the end of the bed, and skipped over. Jack handed him a pile of the toast with a charmed wink, while Parker sat down. _'Brilliant_. Thanks, Doctor Jack,' he gushed, tucking in immediately, looking out the window towards the lake, as he munched.

'Yeah, thanks for this you two,' Booth doubled the thanks sincerely, being handed a coffee and a small tub of pills. He peered curiously into them, then threw them down his throat, not bothering to check what they were. Bones tutted, seeing him do that, then was handed her own little tub.

'You too,' Ange instructed with her best stern nurse face, sitting next to Bones. Inspecting them, Bones flicked them around in the tub with her index finger, then took them obediently. Ange smiled, with a contented nod. 'Now -,' she began again, 'after breakfast I'll show you around but you're _not _to exert yourselves - that's doctors orders. The meeting has been postponed till after dinner so there's no rush to get up…'

Jack interrupted, 'Which is at eight,' spraying crumbs of waffle onto the carpet from his lips. Parker sniggered, seeing his embarrassment.

Bones enquired, 'What meeting?' Ange snagged her head back, confused as to why Booth hadn't told her yet. Booth grimaced as Bones looked at him suspiciously. Bones knew she wasn't the only one that had been hiding information.

Ange explained casually, 'Bren, this is our secret meeting place. Jack's lovin' it, as you can imagine.' She glanced over to him with a quirk of her lips, seeing him nodding with a silly smile on his face. 'We've been gathering here once a week to exchange information on the case and do some plotting of our own. We can't be heard and some of the information isn't shared with people _above _ground,' she said cryptically.

Puzzled, catching that statement, Parker swallowed his mouthful to ask, 'What do you mean _above _ground?' Booth tipped Ange the wink to explain, with a wry smile, knowing he was going to love what she was to divulge.

But Jack jumped in first to explain, 'We're in an underground, _secret _bunker, Parker - three stories down.' Parker's eyes grew wide as did his mouth. Jack grinned, then got up, and opened the bay doors, showing him the solid reinforced concrete wall behind them. He gawped at Jack then at Booth and Bones, who flared their eyes to confirm.

'I thought that lake was just outside the windows! Maaan, that's soooo cooool,' he drooled. Jack bristled with pride, closing the doors again and the tranquil view reappeared.

Jack tantalized further, 'Wait till you see the rest of it. Dude, you're gonna _love _it.' Wide eyed and chewing heartily again, Parker nodded, barely able to contain his eagerness to explore.

'_Boys_,' Ange shrugged, returning to practicalities. Booth shuffled closer to Bones as she fed him some waffle from her plate. He thanked her with a soft kiss to her cheek, and chewed. 'Where was I? Oh. Yes. The mighty hut is a little messed up so obviously you can't stay there, so for the time being - this is your home.' Booth and Bones exchanged touched smiles at their generous hospitality. 'This suite in like a small self-contained apartment. It has a little kitchen if you want to cook for yourselves, a full bathroom and a small lounge, and of course, this bedroom. You even have your own electronic key and pass code. We've set up Parker in the suite next door.' Parker's eyes grew wide again, and snapped his spine straight, hoping to have the same treats as this suite.

Seeing Parker's enthusiasm, Jack added to it with, 'Yeah. And you can change your view using this remote to look around the grounds, or choose a _completely _different view. Check it out.' Jack started flicking through a sample. With mouth agape, Parker watched images of sun drenched beaches; swaying meadows of flowers, mountain views, even snowy landscapes flick by in real time and movement. 'You can use it to see into the communal rooms too. It also controls the ambient temperature, the lights - which are all daylight bulbs - music, TV…'

'Have I got one of these controls in my room?' Parker rushed to ask, effervescing with anticipation. Jack nodded.

'Sure - do you want me to show you around now?' Jack offered, keen to show him everything, and hopefully take his mind off his recent traumas.

'Can I go, Dad?' Parker held his breath but didn't need to, as Booth was delighted he seemed perfectly happy to leave them now. He nodded his permission, with a soft smile. Parker leapt to his feet, trotted over to Bones and Booth, pecking her cheek, then knuckling up for his Dad. 'Thanks, Dad.' Booth tapped them, then exchanged a touched smile with Bones. Then Parker looked to Jack to lead the way. They walked out of the suite with Parker barraging Jack with questions, and buzzing around him like a manic bumblebee.

Ange looked back to the battered partners, just as Bones fed Booth with another forkful of sweet waffle, but realised Bones was hardly eating. Ange lost her smile as she said, 'You were both pretty out of it last night and shell-shocked so Caroline stayed at the house to get a few things for you. There wasn't much left to salvage from your bedroom.' Bones nodded, losing her appetite completely, and dropped her eyes to the plate. Booth slipped his arm around her properly, and held her close, noting her harrowed expression. 'But the _good _news is she delivered a case this morning of clothes and underwear. I've washed it all because- well, it was - _dusty_,' she understated the condition of the clothing. 'But, by the look of you both nothing is gonna fit. _So _I contacted your accountant. He's made funds available for you to draw on. Michele and Cam are already on a spending spree buying you all new clothes - they're _lovin' _it.' Booth sniggered, imagining what they were going to end up looking like. 'Your accountant is also arranging for the house insurer to assess the damage, clean it up, and get the repairs started as soon as possible.' Booth gave Bones a bolstering hug, sensing her lingering sorrow though. Ange took Bones' hand in hers. She looked up, watery eyed into hers. 'Don't worry about a thing - neither of you. Everybody is rallying around. Anything you want or need just let us know and we'll get it - ok?' Bones nodded, squeezing her hand. 'You two need to _rest_. You've hardly had time to breathe since you got out, Sweetie, and Booth, you need to make sure she chills out _completely_.'

Booth pledged, 'Don't worry, I will.'

'Bren, and _you _need to make sure Booth chills out too.' Bones grinned finally, she leant forwards, and kissed Ange's cheek, but winced, grabbing her flank. 'You ok?' They lost their gentle smiles for worried expressions.

'I'm fine,' Bones assured. 'Its just my rib and surrounding tissue is very sore, _unsurprisingly_. The analgesics haven't began to work yet. I suspect I re-fractured it last night in the explosion.' Booth swallowed hard, staring into her profile, as he recalled those terrifying moments when he thought she was dead. In the grand scheme of things a damaged house and losing a few personal items meant little when he thought about losing Parker or her. But that still didn't ease his concern for her increased discomfort.

'Well, that proves it -,' Ange went on, 'you need to rest - relax - eat - drink - reconnect. Just get better, ok?' she ordered them with a warm smile, and a pat to the back of Bones' hand. Deeply emotional again, Bones felt her tears trickling before she could form the words of gratitude. Ange slipped closer, seeing her friend dissolving, and held her preciously.

'Aaaw. Don't cry, Tempe. It'll all work out - you'll see. I have a sixth sense about these things. And don't thank us - this is the least we could do for you.' Bones nodded on her shoulder, squeezing her tight. 'Jack and me have decided to move into the bunker too - just as a precaution, and so you won't be lonely. We're on the other side of the bunker and won't disturb you.' She waved her hand vaguely in their suites direction. Then she added cheerfully, 'It'll be like we're on _vacation _together.' Wagging a finger in Bones' face, Ange reminded, 'But remember, we've got a lotta girly gossip to get through -,' Booth sniggered softly, knowing once they got going they rarely came up for air, 'and I expect you to teach me some of those choice swear words you picked up in prison.' Bones snorted, then started to laugh, recalling her outburst yesterday morning. Ange shone her a wide smile, and wiped her cheeks tenderly, thrilled she made her laugh. Booth was grinning too, and seemed to settle, Ange thought. 'Ok - I'm done with the pep talk. See you guys later.' Ange stood, pecked Booth's cheek, and headed for the door, but paused to say, 'Oh. And don't worry about Parker - Jack will keep him occupied for _hours_.' Ange closed the door behind herself, stood in the corridor for a moment, then smiled hard.

Booth and Bones looked to one another, and let their lungs deflate gently as everything seemed under control. They both nestled back down under the soft sheets, and wrapped themselves around one another for an essential cuddle. Staring into each other, Booth caressed her hair off her face with an enigmatic smile on his lips, adoring her with his eyes. He saw past the cuts and nicks she sustained last night to her underlying beauty, and sighed softly. She smiled a little wider, letting her hand trace his sculptured back, but chose not to think about the lacerations she felt under her fingertips, and let herself sink into his smooth dark eyes. 'I'm sorry for…'

'Sssshhhh,' he hushed her, brushing his lips across hers. 'Just this - like this,' was all he needed to say and she understood. They kissed, mouthing each others lips very slowly and softly; neither having the energy or need to do any more than that. It felt like they drifted off in dream state of warmth and safety in each others arms, till they fell back to sleep with their lips touching, and breathing for the other.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Hamburg **

**Germany**

Helga felt strangely emotional as she held Nikolay close in an affectionate farewell hug: despite only knowing him for less than twenty four hours. He smiled over her shoulder, and squeezed her back. 'I vill send you postcard from Cuba, da?' She nodded, then smiling, looked into his sparkling eyes.

'I'd like that. And thanks for last night - I don't normally do things like…' Blushing, she paused, when he pecked her lips tenderly.

'No - don't be ashamed, we had _great _time - you made me _very _appy. Maybe if I come back to Europe we can be good _sexy _friends again?' Helga giggled, and nodded. 'I must go - I ave long drive.' He kissed her again, then opened the car door. He slipped into the battered, loaded-up car, and she squatted in the open door.

'Please, Nikolay, get some good treatment,' she urged at a whisper.

Nikolay smiled, stroking her wavy hair affectionately, as he confessed gently, 'My dear, sexy, Helga. It is too late for me, I all weady know dis. I think dis trip vill be one vay only…' Helga lost her smile, and felt her eyes singe as he left that statement hanging like a shroud between them. Seeing her close to tears, he comforted, 'N'aww. Don't be sad.' He looked ahead out of the windshield, but seeing nothing, saying in a distant haunting way, 'I ave one last thing to put right - to avenge for my father's cruel death. _Den _I can die...' Nikolay pulled on the door handle to close it, his eyes black and jaw clenched, starting the engine. Helga stood up, and backed away, confused by his chilling remarks and sudden sternness. Closing the car door, he then wound down the window. 'Good-bye, Helga.' He slammed the car into gear, and drove off leaving her bewildered and in a cloud of choking exhaust fumes...

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Jack's Bunker**

Parker gushed, walking alongside Jack as they spiralled slowly downwards towards the communal rooms, 'This place is _wicked_ - it _rocks_, Doctor Jack! Thanks so much for giving me the tour and everything. Those fun room are _awesome_. It _will _be like being on vacation.'

'Hey, Dude, you're welcome,' Jack beamed. 'Oh! Hi, Ange,' he greeted, meeting her walk up to find them.

'Where've you _been_?' she challenged a little haughtily. Parker grinned secretly, seeing Jack deflate at being reprimanded. 'I've been all over this place looking for you. You've been showing off to Parker haven't you?' Jack twitched his lips. Ange turned, and began walking back down the corridor with them.

Parker stepped in to defend, 'It was my fault, I wanted to see everything and Doctor Jack was just teaching me stuff about the bunker, Aunty Ange.'

'Oh. God! Don't call me that, Parker - you make me sound so _old_!' she chastised with a stinging smile.

Innocently Parker reminded, 'You are old.' Bristling, Ange came to an abrupt halt. Jack grimaced at him from just behind her back, and briskly shook his head. Parker regrouped professionally and fast, 'I mean, older than _me_…' Ange sneered at him, then chased after him down the corridor. Giggling, Parker managed to keep out of spanking distance from her, till she slowed down, and started to laugh. She gathered him into a forgiving hug, and waggled him in her embrace. 'What should I call you then?' he asked, peering up into her grinning face. She walked them on as Jack caught up, with her arm around Parker's shoulders.

'Ange is fine, Parker. Or _Goddess _Ange, or _Queen _of the underworld, or something, anything regal is fine.' Parker sniggered at her playfulness, flashing a smile to Jack who was holding her hand now. When they reached the massive lounge, Jack said he had some things to do before tonight, and went off to prepare. Parker thanked him again before he disappeared. Ange took Parker into the kitchen. 'Drink, Parker?'

'I can get it. Doc Jack said to help myself and don't wait to be asked. I think that's pretty cool and I won't make a mess - promise. I'll clean up after myself - I have to at home so... Are Bones and Dad up yet?' Ange chuckled softly at his fizzing, and shook her head to answer his direct question, watching Parker pour himself a class of juice, and to her delight, one for her too. Then he sat down opposite her at the table, and sipped his juice. She looked him over critically, noting his bruises and grazes. Parker saw her worried staring, and blushed. 'I'm fine, Ange,' he said softly, then reassured, 'I don't hurt anywhere, they're just a few scratches.' Then he explained honestly, 'It _was _scary but I feel _really _safe here. Jack said he can't get to us.' Ange nodded to confirm that, reaching for his hand across the table to reassure him now. He took it sweetly, and smiled. 'You're Bones' best friend, aren't you?'

'Yeah, I am.'

Parker grinned closed mouthed, and nodded gently, debating whether to tell her what he knew, but trusted her kind eyes, so explained hesitantly, 'Bones is… She's _really _sad about not having Christine home - and Dad _too_, but he's being strong for her like a man should.' Ange nodded to confirm that inevitability, just letting him talk. 'I was doing something for Bones on her computer when I saw that man in Christine's room on the security video.' Ange shifted in her seat with that revelation, but kept calm for him. Then his voice dropped an octave and became weaker with emotion, 'I wanted to show them but they were arguing and I didn't know what to do.' Ange saw his sparkling eyes fill, as he recalled those upsetting events, 'Then Dad and Bones ran out of their bedroom - Dad has his gun,' he said gravely. 'I think he was gonna shoot that horrible man.' Ange squeezed his hand, seeing his tears dripping, hers dripped too in sympathy. 'Then the bomb went off…' Pinching out some tissues from the box, Ange handed him one, and kept one for herself. 'Thanks,' he said, wiping his nose, then went on, 'I'm ok - we're all ok, that's the main thing, right?' Ange grinned, nodding again, amazed by his resilience and emotional maturity. 'What I'm major upset about is her computer…' Parker blew his nose, taking a calming breath while Ange asked a question with a head tilt. 'It had all the pictures and video of Christine on it - now its all gone and they have nothing left of her now, and it's all my fault,' he confessed sorrowfully, dropping his eyes.

Ange grinned, and went to him. She gave him a loving hug, then gently eased his chin up to look her in the eye. 'That's not true… Caroline dropped off a case this morning. _And _she found something in your room that she thought was very important to you. You'd put a ribbon around the box, and written Bones' name on the tag you made.' Parker's eyes lit up as she placed the box in front of him. 'All is not lost.' Parker looked up into her eyes, and she could see his deep joy and relief that it hadn't been destroyed in the blast. 'Can I just give you some advice?' Parker nodded, eager to hear it. 'Don't give your wonderful gift to her just yet. Leave it a couple of days or till you think it's the _right _time.' Parker nodded, adjusting the ribbon delicately. 'They will be so touched and proud of you, Parker. And if my Michael grows up to be as half as _thoughtful _and kind as you are - me and Jack would be the happiest, proudest parents in the world.' Parker grinned shyly, then sniffed, still playing idly with the pink ribbon. Ange kissed his cheek lovingly. He blushed, and turned a little bashful, making Ange ruff up his wild hair. A cloud of dust rose from it, and she batted it away, exclaiming, 'Oh!' Parker giggled at her horrified expression.

'I'll go shower and hide this.' Ange thought that was a splendid idea. 'I better change too - Dad's boxers keep falling down off my hips - look.' He stood, nearly exposing himself, then hitched them up. Ange laughed, and nudged him away. 'Thanks, _Dame _Ange,' he said cheekily, with a wry smile. Horrified by that term too, Ange dropped her mouth open in shock, then threw a scrunched-up tea towel at him. Laughing, Parker scurried out the door back to his suite, having deftly avoided the harmless missile.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Later**

**Booth & Bones' Suite**

**Bathroom**

With the fancy remote in his hand; a charismatic smile on his lips, and naked as a newborn, Booth asked excitedly, 'Where would you like to take your bath, Ma'am?'

Bones laughed softly, lounging in a cloud of fragrant bubbles, and a bottle of beer barely held in her hand dangling over the side of the two-person tub. Staring at a blank wall that stretched the length of the bathroom, she thought aimlessly, 'Somewhere - somewhere, _wide_.'

Booth enquired, looking slightly confused, 'A desert?' Bones nearly spat her beer sip into the tub, as she snorted her amusement. 'Ocean?' She shook her head again, not caring really, only wanting to see a far horizon. 'I know!' he suddenly exclaimed, and started flicking through landscapes till he came across the vast plains of Africa's Serengeti smothered in migrating wildebeest and zebra. Dotted with flat top acacia the golden grasses swayed and rippled off into the epochal distance. Delighted with his choice, Bones grinned, and relaxed, feeling as if she was in the navy blue waterhole surrounded by wallowing hippos. Seeing her sink slightly to relax further, he knew he'd chosen well, then asked, 'Do you want sound too?'

'Umm. Yes, please,' she purred lazily. He pushed the relevant button but they both jumped when the baying of wildebeest and horsing zebra broke the tranquil mood. She suddenly shook her head, changing her mind with, 'No!' Then they chuckled. Booth turned it down, and they both relaxed again when the sound became tolerable and just a soothing background hum. 'Get in before it gets cold,' she urged. Booth didn't hesitate, and gently stepped in, then sat down. Bones couldn't stop her eyes from appreciating his lean physique as he sat opposite her, and then lounged himself, with his arms hanging over the tub. He tipped back his head, and closed his eyes to the soothing fragrant suspension.

'Man, that feels good,' he mumbled contentedly. Indulgently Bones trickled her eyes over his face; neck, shoulders, and down his chiselled torso: now half covered up by the bubbles. She gently rubbed her toes against his flank so she could be in contact with him, and watched as he grinned. He slid a hand under the water, and caressed her foot and lower calf. 'Hairy leg,' he informed, with a wry smile. Bones laughed as he opened his eyes, and laughed with her too. 'Lemme shave 'em,' he urged with a silly smile. Sipping beer, Bones shrugged a shoulder, happy to let him pamper her if he wanted to. Watching as he reached for a razor, she rested her foot flat on his mid chest, and he smoothed soap over her leg, then began to carefully and diligently shave it. There was something extremely erotic about him silently treating her that made her close her eyes, and rest her head back on the bath rim just to revel in the decadence of it. She could feel his heartbeat on her sole, and adored feeling that beat synchronise with hers. After a few moments, he broke their silence with a question, 'How did you know about this place?'

'Ange. She told me in confidence sometime ago. I wasn't surprised to learn of it in truth.' He knew they shared many secrets and wasn't offended that she hadn't told him; because he knew Bones was an excellent secret keeper and trusted implicitly by Ange.

Booth changed tack while drawing the razor carefully up the length of her shin, 'Becca was ok about Parker staying with us in the bunker.' Then explained quietly, 'She didn't really wanna come back off her vacation anyway. After she spoke to Parker she chilled out.' He changed the direction of the conversation again with, 'I'm gonna take Parker fishing in the lake tomorrow - he'll like that.' Bones lifted her head to watch him, with a delicate smile curving her lips. 'You and Ange have gotta a lot of catching up to do so we'll keep out of your way.'

'Umm. You should spend time with him - especially after what happened. He may need to talk - air his concerns and emotions.' Agreeing Booth nodded, washed the razor, then using both palms felt very slowly over her silky legs for any hairs he may have missed. Bones closed her eyes again to his wondrous touch and the almost forgotten sensations it was giving her. Once he was sure he'd got them all, he sweetly kissed the smooth one, then picked up her other leg, and began on that.

'I wonder what he was doing with my laptop?' she asked and puzzled, clearly running through the memories from last night. Booth stopped shaving, and looked at her, thinking about that too. He didn't have an answer so carried on with his task just a gently and precisely.

'I'll ask him tomorrow. How's your rib now - have the pills kicked in yet?' Bones lolled her head in a delirious way, too relaxed to verbally reply, but managed a lethargic hum. Charmed, Booth grinned, seeing her practically asleep again. Then he asked a little hesitantly, 'Have you taken the antibiotic?' Bones fluttered open her eyes to the ceiling, then looked him directly in the eye, knowing his subtext was screaming through his protective enquiry. He flicked his eyes up to her, trying not to get angry again at the thought of why she was taking them.

Bones took a deep breath, then very slowly edged closer towards him. The water swirled around them, and rocked them gently. He watched her smoky eyes as she neared, and blindly placed the razor on the side by his beer bottle. Slipping her legs over his thighs, she held him around his torso, and caressed his back. 'Yes… I knew - you'd be incensed when you saw them -,' she said very softly, 'and realise he'd got to me in there so you couldn't protect me.' Brushing her lips across his, she continued, 'You already had so much to deal with - I didn't want to worry you further, and I could see you struggling emotionally - I didn't cope very well either, did I?' Booth half smiled, and shook his head to agree, vividly remembering her emotional break. 'Cam and Ange saw them when they removed the chip from my thigh. Cam suspected from the shape of them what had happened and took it upon herself to investigate.'

'That's why you wouldn't let me in the room to be with you, wasn't it?' Bones confirmed that with a slowly blink. 'Cam told me she nearly killed someone - I'm guessing that was the person that cut you.'

'Yes - Claudette, who is now dead.' Booth's concern for Cam increased tenfold, feeling his back tense. Bones eased that concern when she disclosed, 'No, Booth. It's believed _Pelant _killed her while she was recovering in hospital. Thankfully Cam isn't suspected.' She felt Booth relax a little, then kissed his lips. But she didn't just kiss him, she worshiped him with the kiss, like she'd done yesterday; slowly, softly, gently.

Virtually delirious, and heartbeat spiking, Booth surrendered to her innocent love making again. His hands drifted up her thighs as hers drifted off his back and covered his on her thighs. She ended the steamy kiss to his huge disappointment. With eyes still closed, she swept her tongue slowly over her lips; taking in all trace of him, and rested her brow on his. 'I've consulted with a surgeon,' she said delicately, as if a little drunk on the kiss too. Then she lifted one of his hands, and placed it flat on her scared abdomen just below her peaked breasts. Booth didn't want to touch the raised scars in case he hurt her or got so angry again he couldn't see straight. But she made sure he kept his hand on them to reassure him. She fluttered open her eyes, and almost smiled at him, feeling the hot underside of his burning shaft pressing against her labia. 'They don't hurt…' Booth sagged, pleased to be assured of that. She went on compassionately, 'Once I've had the surgery, I'm assured they will be almost invisible.' Booth swallowed, and gestured with a tilt of his head that he still wasn't good enough. But Bones knew it was going to have to do, but tried to placate further. 'Do you know…?' she asked, leaning back, and relaxing in the tub again: their sexes lost contact. Booth saw her breasts bob gently on the surface, and that inevitably stiffened him further. 'Warriors from the Tronba sects in Papua New Guinea tattoo their skin with the names of their _vanquished _enemies as a warning to others.' Booth knew she was trying to make him feel better by making him think by having Pelant's initials carved in her skin it meant they'd conquered him. But he wasn't buying it.

Booth challenged playfully, '_Bullshit_.' Bones gasped incredulously, and narrowed her eyes at him, with a smirk on her lips though.

Lying, she insisted, 'That's a _true _fact!' Booth sniggered, and shuffled forwards, which resulted in her breasts swaying sexily as the water displaced, and enjoyed watching the motion enormously. Grinning hard and sensuously she watched him lean over her, filling her fields with his smile, and near her lips with his. 'Its _true_,' she insisted again, sharing a roasting smile with him.

Booth shook his head, still not convinced, then told her why, 'I love it when you lie like this,' he smeared over her cherry lips. She trickled her fingertips down his flanks to his upper thighs. 'Your pupils dilate a little, you back off, blink too much _and - _you keep insisting its true -,' then he concluded smugly, 'dead give away.' He felt her palms progress slowly up his spine, then separate to swirl under his arms, then finally settled on his pectorals. That sensuous sweep of his torso, he knew, was her deep appreciation of his muscular form and hopefully a precursor. And he recalled: she loved to touch so was a little more than hopeful. He shivered with chronic arousal, already envisioning them getting hot, ancient and wild on the plains of the Serengeti where it all began.

Knowing she was caught, Bones quirked her lips, and conceded defeat with, 'Alright - its probably _not _the Tronba sect but I couldn't recall their name - so I made one up.' Booth belly laughed which made her laugh too. But both of them screamed and jumped with shock and fear when a huge bull hippo leapt from the water hole beside them with a blood-curdling roar: gaping open its enormous mouth, flashing its razor sharp tusks.

'W'AHHH!' Suddenly there were thunderous running feet and two people barged into the bathroom. Ange and Parker looked terrified but primed to attack or defend. Bones squealed, and covered her breasts, while Booth snapped his hands over his solid erection, trying to tame it. Ange quickly realised what had happened because she could see the hippo pod all leaping about, then hurriedly covered Parker's eyes. He started to giggle, and blush violently.

'I'm guessing you were scared by the hippo and nothing else just as _large _and wild, Sweetie,' Ange quipped with heavy innuendo, flicking her brow towards Booth's rapidly shrinking groin. Bones laughed again, seeing Booth mortified that Parker had seen his aroused state, as he splashed back into the tub. 'I think you're safe now, so we'll leave you to it. We were just coming to tell you dinner is in twenty minutes.' Ange spun Parker, who was still giggling manically, and steered him blind out of the bathroom.

Booth pouted adorably as Bones stood, then stepped out of the cooling water. He could see all her multi-coloured bruises; new and old, and for the first time, her concerning weight loss. He didn't have time to process before she said, 'We better get ready for dinner then.' Flicking a towel around her and securing it, she tried not to notice how disappointed he was about not becoming fully intimate with her. She grabbed another towel, and held it out in her open arms for him to step into. Booth got out, and she wrapped it around him, with a sweet smile hanging on her lips. He immediately enveloped her in his arms, and nuzzled into her shoulder with a elongated sigh she easily read.

He mumbled into her shoulder, 'I really wanted us to…'

'I'm aware of that, Booth,' she sympathised tenderly, caressing his back. 'But I don't want to spoil things again like I did yesterday.' He looked into her eyes, slightly confused. He couldn't work out if she meant she was still deliberately holding back from sex because her scars might upset him, which was out in the open now - so that didn't make sense. Or maybe, he thought, she was in too much pain to be intimate - which again didn't make much sense because she'd just been extremely sensual with him. Although, he mused, she hadn't touched him intimately while fully aware of his arousal. Or, he mused his last consideration: was there something else she wasn't telling him? He hadn't finished compiling his list of probable's when she went on, admitting with some shame, 'You were correct - what I did _was _ugly and not worthy of you - or us. I won't let that happen again…' Bones walked away back into the bedroom, leaving Booth even more confused, and just to mock him, he saw two zebra mating on the big screen. Curling his top lip with frustration, Booth picked up the remote, and turned off the wall screen like he'd shot the rutting horny beasts.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Hilton Hotel**

**Beijing**

**China**

Maria opened Max's bedroom door, and peered behind it. Missing little, he smiled still with his eyes closed, then rolled over to face her. Maria almost grinned, and sat beside him on the bed. 'You have a call,' she said as calmly as she could, knowing this call was going to change their path. From behind her back, she handed him the phone, seeing his eyes ask a question. Not answering it, she got up, and went to the window, then drew the drapes to let in the eastern sunrise.

'Yes..?' Max listened intently to the caller. Folding her arms over her midriff, Maria turned, and watched his reaction. Stiffening almost immediately, Max tossed the covers off himself, and sat on the edge of the bed. She saw his back tense and a fist clench slowly around the sheet. Then he got up, and came over to her, still listening, and slipped his hand around her waist. Attempting to console him, she stroked his back, staring into his troubled eyes. 'Ok - right, so they're safe for now,' he stated, and nodded when he was assured by the caller. 'Yeah. Stay close to them.' Max ended the call, staring at the handset, then looked up into Maria's eyes, as he said, 'Can you get the drugs for my last treatment - I need to get it over with?' Maria sagged, knowing he wasn't fit enough but events back home were forcing his hand. Seeing her worry, he smiled, touched by her concern for him. 'The quicker I finish it and recover, the faster I can get home.' Not saying anything else, Maria walked away towards her room.

Max could see she was conflicted, and trotted after her. Catching her hand, he stopped her in her tracks. She hung her head, unable to look him in the eye, because she knew what his intention was; he was bringing forward his deadline. Max lifted her hand to his lips, and kissed it softly.

'I don't want you to do this, Max - its too soon.' He nodded, understanding, hearing the edgy silence between them. Knowing she wasn't going to dissuade him though, she finally looked up into his eyes, squeezing his hand. 'We will have to move on again first.' Max nodded, and smiled harder, knowing she was enjoying the opulence and comfort of the Hilton and the fun they'd been having as he got stronger.

'You choose - where do you wanna go now?' Maria rolled her head slightly, and sighed. Max helped her choose with a flare of his eyes, seemingly unperturbed by the physical assault he was going to put himself through, 'Somewhere in Europe - France, Spain?' She knew those choices were closer to the US and strategically central but she didn't care. She quickly considered those options and the pros and cons of each country.

'England,' she finally suggested. Max cocked a brow asking her a question. 'They have excellent private heath care - and the Olympics are on in London - we can easily get lost in the crowded city.'

Max loved her idea, and grinned wide. '_Great _thinking. London here we come.' Max innocently, almost playfully, pecked her cheek with a muwha sound but was flabbergasted when she quickly and sultrily kissed him. But he felt himself sway and all too effortlessly reciprocated, as she continued with her tender, deliberate ambush…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Pelant's Bunker**

Putting his knapsack on his back, Pelant grabbed his bike keys off his bench, and opened the makeshift door to the subway. About to turn out the light, he paused though when he spotted something on the gritty floor. Squatting down, he peered at the dust swirls and footprints that led to the hole he'd cut in the cement. Seeing several sets of prints aside from his own, the realisation dawned; they'd found his bunker and his means of secret egress.

Outwitted and feeling less secure, Pelant's stomach lurched, and agitatedly pushed his fingers through his hair, glaring at the dark hole. He didn't know what they'd seen in his bunker nor whether they were waiting for him down in the disused subway. For a few moments he let his mind calculate what he had to do now to regain the upper hand. Seconds later he stood, turned off the light, and gently closed the door.

Taking out a hand gun from his knapsack, he took off the safety, then carefully and quietly made his way down the hole into the rat infested abyss…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Russia**

**Bryansk Oblast**

**Pochep**

**Facility**

**Manger's Office**

Hugo ran up the corridor, and tapped his manager's door, beading with nervous sweat. As he waited to be invited in, he straightened his lab coat and tie, swallowing the sense of foreboding that had risen to the back of his throat. Again he checked the figures on his worksheet for the umpteenth time, and shook his head, convinced he wasn't seeing things or had miss calculated.

'Enter!' Hugo went in, and closed the door. His boss looked up from his computer, and snagged his head back, as he asked coolly, 'Vhat is it, Hugo - you look concerned?'

Stepping forwards, Hugo gulped for air, then placed the clipboard in front of him. Pointing to his calculations on the sheet, he said gravely, 'I've checked the batch many times. We ave a big problem…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**A/N: **Will Pelant find an armed welcoming party waiting for him in the forgotten subway? Why is Nikolay out for revenge for his father death? What will Bones and Booth discover at the covert meeting? Find out the answers to these questions and much more in the next bumper chapter of **Pelant**. Hugs, Lebxeb. XX. All comments welcomed.


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: **All characters portrayed here are fictional. No infringement of rights intended. Bones & its characters are a product of Fox Inc. & not mine. No financial gain is received from this work of fiction.

**Summary: **Bones and Booth are forced to retreat to safety and go underground where the team regroup. Pelant is shaken but being stalked evermore closely. "Nothing is what it seems…" - Seeley Booth.

**Rating: M **

**Thanks**: **JenE**: Ta! XX. **Guest 8/3/12**: Good sense. Ha! UR welcome insomniac! XX. **Jsboneslover**: *GASP* Bex grumbles - not. LOL (Softer chaps coming before things heat up again!) Massive Thx. XX. **Boneslady**: I hear ya - hang tight. XX

**Pelant**

**Chapter XXI**

**Jack & Ange's Bunker**

'Ok, settle down. We should get this started,' Cam ordered gently, opening her file. Replete and relaxed, everyone retook their seats around the cleared dinner table. Like before they all had thick files laid out in front of them along with pad and pens to take notes. Instead of wine this time, most were on a fine rich brew of coffee Jack had made and Parker had been dispatched to one of the fun rooms by Booth for the duration. And for the first time, Sweets was in attendance. He'd arrived after they'd eaten, dressed as casually as the rest of the team. Cam waited till everyone's eyes came to hers before she said with an attractive smile, 'Again, thanks to Jack and Ange for feeding us so well and letting us use their snazzy bunker.'

'Too right!' Booth seconded blithely, rubbing his full belly amid a chorus of other rumbled thanks. Charmed, Bones grinned, placing her hand on his thigh under the table. He slipped his hand into hers, and gave it a squeeze. That squeeze and her eye flick around the table prompted him, 'Umm. Can we just say something?' Cam nodded, and all heads turned to Booth and Bones at the end of the table. 'We just wanted to give our own _massive _thanks to all of you.' The partner's eyes forged bonds with all around the table; Caroline, Sweets, Genny, Ange, Jack and Cam. 'We know you broke your backs for us to get Bones out as soon as possible. We both owe you a huge debt - we'll _never _forget what you did for our family.' With humble smiles they all nodded to accept their tribute and gratitude.

Pouring more coffee into Bones' cup, Ange rubbed her shoulders affectionately, then moved on around the table to top up everyone else's from the large pot. 'Actually, it was _your _idea, Booth -,' Ange explained, playing the hostess elegantly, 'you told us to use technology against Pelant. We just reversed his tactics. Once we knew Bren was definitely chipped, we got Genny to pull in all the CCTV footage of where Bren had been, and _voila_! We proved she was where she said she was.' Bones smiled, and pecked Booth's chuffed smile. Sweets, noting her show of affection, grinned.

Caroline jumped in, 'Yeah and the hairs in the books was Jack's funky brainstorm. And I gotta say a _damn _fine one,' then she popped a chocolate mint into her mouth, and chomped.

Booth looked to Jack to explain as he stirred sugar into his cup. 'I was going through the particulates in the books we retrieved from Ethan's room and it just came to me in a flash of male pattern baldness. Cam did the rest,' he generously deferred the praise to her. Cam nonchalantly shook off the praise with a wave of her hand. 'And Doctor Zach Gonzalez's emails sealed the deal. You have the court transcripts in your file, Bren.' Bones grinned hard, and nodded, having already skim read them. But Cam didn't wallow in their grateful expressions, just moved them forwards, knowing they had a long list of topics to get through.

'Right - enough of the mutual back slapping, let's move on. Tempe, this is to bring you up to speed, ok?' Bones nodded, taking a breath, and concentrated. Cam continued inviting, 'Lance, what did you and Genny get from the interviews with those hookers?'

'Not much, except he hired their company two days before the Ball. He paid them in cash and plenty of it before and when they left him. He'd asked them to score some cocaine - to pick up his tux - and arrive at his place at _precisely _four o'clock that afternoon in the Hummer he'd hired. After the Ball and the cell phone incident they said he was really pumped - no pun intended.' A ripple of wry smiles drifted his way. Sweets went on, 'Apparently he made a point of getting interviewed by the press as they left. We caught onto that and I suggested Apricot pull the interview he gave to the press.' The team all knew they didn't want to give Pelant the limelight and that was a smart move. Sweets concluded, 'When they got back to his place, "_they partied hard_". He took a few lines of cocaine and in their words, "_went all night_".

'We have them in protective custody,' Genny added. 'So is George Cook - Ethan's nurse who asked us for protection and helped to frame you. He's in a safe house up State.' Bones nodded, continuing to hold Booth's hand, while writing on her note pad with the other.

'That's was _great _work by you, Genny,' Booth praised her clever bluffing interview technique. Genny blushed slightly: praise not sitting comfortably with her.

Immediately Bones backed him up with, 'Yes. _Excellent _work and thank you again.'

Nodding briefly to reluctantly accept that thanks, Genny went on, 'Cook gave us some more great information about how he communicated with Pelant and picked up his cash payments. They were left in a locked mailbox he was sent the key to in the foyer of an apartment block. The mailbox corresponded to an apartment that was rented, we assume by Pelant, but never used. Its clean, but is now bugged by us in case he pays it a visit. Unfortunately we've been unable to trace the rental agreement back to Pelant. We're still working on that. And we're still trying to discover which bank accounts he pilfered - that's a massive task, as you can imagine.' Everyone nodded, knowing that kind of fraud was rife.

Sweets informed, 'I suggested we keep Pelant under surveillance openly, so he knows we're watching him but obviously there are other teams he doesn't know about. The protocols have been tightened up as well.' That was no surprise to any of the team, and they were reassured the surveillance teams weren't going to get caught out again.

Cam again pushed them onwards with, 'Genny has an update for us on Pelant's background.' All eyes turned to Genny again. She twitched on her chair, then opened her file to her relevant pages of copious notes she'd kept.

Looking directly at Booth, she began, 'Like you suggested, Booth, I went into Pelant's background again. He studied at MIT so I paid his professor a visit.' Booth listened intently, but felt Bones twitch slightly beside him, and glanced to her. 'She gave me two pieces of brilliant insight into Pelant. Firstly, she told me he had a girlfriend he was smitten with but she dumped him after a few months. I haven't gotten to the bottom of what broke them up yet.' Taking a breath, Genny told them her powerful information gently, 'She was an overseas student - and her name was - Inger Johannsen…' Booth sat a little straighter, as did Bones. 'Yeah, he _did _know her,' Genny confirmed the connection to Pelant's first victim. 'By all accounts he had an obsessive nature and stalked her for some time after she broke off their relationship - made a bit of fool of himself apparently. She was studying Chemical Engineering. At the time of her murder she'd taken a sabbatical from her career in a chemical plant in eastern Europe creating organic pesticides. Apparently she came back to the US to meet up with old college friends and house sat - it's the cheap way of taking a vacation and all the rage now. Her Professor recalled she became scared of Pelant and went home to her family in the summer break of that year to get away from him. I checked with her parents, they say she _never _mentioned him.'

'She probably didn't want to worry them,' Booth postulated. Everyone agreed with nods. 'Did she go back to finish her course?'

Genny confirmed, 'Yeah. But Pelant had already moved on when she returned to campus.'

'I should just add at this point -,' Sweets interrupted Genny politely, 'the prostitutes told us he was a stud and considerate in bed _but _he called one of them Inger on several occasions.' Caroline balked at that twisted tip-bit, opening another mint chocolate, and hurriedly munched it. She had a pile of scrunched up wrappers on her saucer, and blankly counted them, as she continued to listen to Genny.

'The second piece of information Professor Liskov gave me was _remarkable_,' Genny offered with some awe. 'She remembered Pelant owned a motor bike, but not only that, its _licence _plate too. She has an incredible memory for random sequences of numbers.'

'She would,' Bones chipped in ordinarily. Booth snapped his gaze to her; the rest followed suit. 'Rebecca is an unorthodox person and socially inept but her mind is brisk and works in numbers and code - she's quite brilliant in some respects.' Genny nodded to agree with Bones' generous assessment.

Booth asked incredulously, 'You _know _her?'

'Yes. Ethan suggested I talk to her about Pelant because he was her student - I called her, but she was unable to assist me at that time.' Booth sagged, ticking off something else she'd omitted to tell him for his own good. Seeing him deflate, Bones caressed his hand under the table, while sweetly whispering in his ear, 'Sorry, but she couldn't help me so there was no need to tell you.' Booth looked into her eyes, and accepted her apology with a tender kiss to her lips. Only Sweets caught their darling exchange, delighted they seemed to be coping with everything that was thrown at them in a positive way.

Genny glanced at all the faces now staring back at her, and moved on, 'Anyway. The FBI is systematically checking all CCTV and traffic footage in a five mile radius around his house daily for a Ducati motorbike bearing that licence plate.' Thinking that was a huge task, Jack huffed out his bewilderment. Genny caught that, and clarified, 'But obviously we can whittle down that amount of footage we review because we now know when Pelant leaves the house.'

Bones straightened her back. 'How _do _you know - and what is Apricot?' she finally asked her burning question. Everyone exchanged glances, leaving that explanation to Cam.

Lacing her fingers over the open file, Cam gave her the answers with some authority, 'Apricot is an offensive action group, Tempe. It was sanctioned in the early hours of Sunday night by the Director of the FBI. Its given us rights to use any and all methods of investigation without adhering to the law - _**if **_necessary.' Bones' right brow rose slowly. 'We believe Pelant's building up to something - something _very _big.' Bones sat back slowly, underplaying her shock by that revelation. 'The Director agrees, and although we have more than enough evidence to bring him in now - which we _insisted _they do - we were overruled...' Bones twitched, not liking that overrule as she considered it kept them firmly in Pelant's crosshairs. 'Consequently AD Thomas was murdered - the FBI targeted again, the decision was forced. So - Apricot has bugged his house; videoed inside his secret bunker, hacked into his computer connection via his neighbours cable, and is currently directly downloading what he's _uploading _to the internet. The Apricot teams have gagged the media and press and forced them to release details on their news channels to incite Pelant into making a move. For example, the morning we discovered AD Thomas was murdered we arranged for the news channels to leak that you'd been released from prison. That incensed him when he found out.'

'I assume that was an attempt to push him into a mistake and discover what his intentions are.' Cam nodded soberly. 'Have we any idea what that is?'

Jack answered, 'There are many theories - but we haven't got enough evidence to precisely determine what that might be.'

'So, even though he _knew _the cable was being checked he didn't sever his connection?' Booth enquired, thinking that was strange.

Ange jumped in now, confirming Booth's surprise with her own, 'No - I said that was weird. If I was to guess I'd say it's a red herring connection. Maybe he has another connection to the Net at another location. Genny passed on my suspicions but the FBI think they have caught him out.' Booth shook his head, not believing that they had.

'N'aaah. This guy is way too smart. He's got a back up for sure.' Ange nodded fast to agree with him. Bones wrote another note on her pad, then turned a page in the file to read more information.

Genny interrupted the taut air with, 'Interpol finally got back to us. They'd been looking into the names and accounts Pelant used online to purchase the bugs that were planted in your house. They were all deceased - but there was something peculiar about all the names _and _a connection between them.'

'A clue from Pelant to us…' Caroline interjected, after draining her coffee cup, then picked up yet another chocolate mint to chow down - her diet an ugly word tonight.

'Which was?' Booth asked, feeling Bones' tension rise, and her hand grip his tighter.

'They'd been all victims of cancer - lung, thyroid, skin, liver,' Genny explained, glancing to Sweets, knowing his theory already.

Booth stalled everyone, musing, 'Hang on - why would Pelant change his motive now? He's all about pissing off the FBI and uncovering so-called hypocrisy.' Then he asked incredulously, 'Is he saying the FBI is responsible for all _cancer _now?'

Sweets shook his head, saying solidly, '_No_.' All eyes drifted to his now to hopefully throw some light on the conundrum. Sweets got up with his cup, and walked over to the coffee pot to fill it again. As he poured, he said with gravitas, 'There's another connection we missed between these cancer victims, so did Interpol - this is our next challenge. It's his game, he wants us to find out what he's planning _before _he executes it. But too late to save those he's intending to hurt and humiliate. When we fail - he wins twice over.'

Bones bristled, saying assuredly, 'We _won't _fail, Sweets.' Slowly Sweets turned on a slight smile. Bones confirmed with more bite, 'We _won't_.' Booth loved her determination, squeezing her hand tighter to assure her he was on the same page.

'I'm encouraged by you certainty, Doctor Brennan - but your father, Max, isn't so sure we will prevail…' Taken aback, Bones nearly gasped her shock at his statement and its implications. Like a Saturn rocket taking off Booth shot to his feet, clearly angered by Sweets, and pierced him with his stormy eyes. The tension rose another notch in the room as everyone stiffened witnessing the face-off.

'What does my Father know - tell me?' Bones insisted to be told.

'He doesn't know anything, Bones,' Booth dismissed Sweets comments, glaring menacingly at Sweets with his back to Bones.

Sweets ignored him. 'It's not fair to keep her in the dark any longer, Booth.' Booth glanced over his shoulder as Bones took his hand, and tugged him to sit again.

'Please, tell me,' she pleaded softly into Booth's eyes, then asked the room, _'Somebody _tell me…'

Sighing, Booth sat down again, so did Sweets. Everybody held their breath as Booth told her tenderly, 'Max - Max sent me a message via a man: Daniel. It was a code - the man's name was a religious message just for me - and Max sent me this...' Booth took out the precious slip of paper from his wallet, and handed the little sketch to her. He watched Bones closely as she sagged a little, and saw her head tilt when she recognised her baby Max had drawn.

With eyes brimming, Bones looked up into Booth's, and tried to smile but broke Booth's heart when she said impossibly softly, 'Its Christine…' Booth nodded slowly, then nuzzled into her cheek, smoothing her back tenderly in his own apology for not showing it to her sooner.

Jack went on quietly, 'What Daniel said to Booth made me think, Bren. So we worked out Max's simple code.' Bones swallowed, controlling her emotions, and looked over to Jack. 'It gave us a date - and led us to a passage in the fourth Book Of Daniel.' Concluding Jack explained ominously, 'Booth realised Max was sending us a message that he would return - on the fifth of September - to _kill _Pelant if we don't…' Bones suppressed the feeling of panic and nausea she suddenly felt wash through her.

Sweets then confirmed his thoughts with, 'Max gave us a deadline to capture Pelant but he isn't certain we will - in my opinion that's why Max has shown us he's our back up.'

Ange told her compassionately, 'He's willing to put everything on the line for you and your family - us too.'

Bones looked at the sweet sketch again, saying softly, 'Yes - that doesn't surprise me.' She looked up around the faces staring at her all with grave concern lacing their eyes. 'I suspect he feels he's nothing to lose given his failing health - a noble last act perhaps…' Booth felt his stomach wrench, hearing her trying not to get emotional again. 'But we can't assume he'll not come back _before _then.' Everyone thought she was just being optimistic that Christine would return so didn't dare raise her expectations, and stayed oppressively silent.

But Sweets didn't recognised high expectations in her, he picked up on something else in her tone, so asked curiously, 'Why do you say that?'

'Because of what happened - the explosion. If he knows we've been threatened again or outmanoeuvred he may bring forward his deadline. Max can be _very _impatient...' Again everyone exchanged worried glances. Bones looked at the slip of paper again Booth noted, and prayed she didn't see the watermark and make the connection. 'What I'm a little concerned about is this sketch is drawn on paper from the Oceanus cruise ship which crashed in the Suez Canal.' Booth felt his heart drop to his knees but was lifted when she said with a forgiving smile, 'But we know everybody got off safely, so…' She saw Booth sag with relief she wasn't going to tear him off a strip. Pecking his lips sweetly, she grinned a little wider, knowing he was only protecting her and couldn't reprimand him for that; she'd done the exact same thing for him.

All breathing again, the team relaxed once more. 'We believe Pelant caused the crash - he screwed with the GPS. All this is in your file. We just have to prove it,' Ange explained. Bones nodded, not surprised by that revelation either. With a fading smile, Bones handed back the slip of paper to Booth to take care of. She could see he asked her silently to keep it, but she shook her head slightly to answer she couldn't yet. It was if she couldn't trust herself to have possession of it or didn't deserve it. Sweets noted her handing it back, which surprised him and stored that exchange away.

As the tension dissipated Cam changed the subject, 'So, Ange - its your turn. What did you find out in China?' Standing, Ange walked over to the sideboard, then aimed a remote control at the nightscape displayed through the windows. Everybody turned in their seats to watch. The screen changed to display the man that had altered the chips and supplied them to Pelant, as she explained, 'Just watch and listen, Guys.'

In rapt silence they did as instructed, listening to his confession. Once both discs had been through, holding her breath, Ange asked Caroline, 'Will this stand up in our courts?'

Caroline nodded, then beamed a smile at her. 'You bet, Cher. But we need physical proof, so I gotta ask, where are these chips and are they safe?'

Ange nodded. 'I've already tested the altered chip - it works perfectly.' Ange returned to the sideboard, then placed the chrome case in the middle of the table, then slowly opened it to reveal its contents. Nodding, and peering into the case at the chips, Cam fist-pumped the air over her file, clearly jubilant. Sweets snapped his eyes up to Ange's. She smiled, and surreptitiously winked at him.

Caroline crowed triumphantly, 'We've _got _the S.O.B.' There was a collective sigh of relief that rippled around the room: breaking the palpable tension that infused them all.

But Ange cautioned, 'Not quite. Remember our hands have been tied by Apricot and their agenda? They want us to crack Ethan's code _and _Pelant's first before they bring him in.' The team stilted their excitement, knowing that result was still eluding them and the main objective. 'Over the last three days his computer has been uploading data by the friggin' terabyte.' Ange then gave Bones some of the theories that had been flying around, 'Its _creating _code I can't break into yet but Apricot are scared he's attacking the Web - trying to screw with the banking system, or National Security databases or attempting the impossible: collapse the Internet.' Bones thought those theories rather too narcissistic of Pelant but logically couldn't rule them out after reading Sweets' profile on him. 'Or maybe something more insidious - to create mass fear in the population by demonstrating no firewall is impenetrable - nothing we take for granted or trust would be safe.'

'Cyber terrorism.' Ange nodded at Bones, feeling her heartbeat in her throat and a flush hit her cheeks. She retook her seat beside Jack, listening as Bones went on nonchalantly, 'The obvious course of action would be to break the connection. But logically if his code is that powerful and unique it will be very valuable to _our _security agencies, the military and government. The person that can control it and use it will undoubtedly have a new weapon of mass destruction for the twenty first century.' Ange felt her heart pound, and dropped her eyes, as she nervously picked at her nails. 'It's a very interesting concept actually - it's been postulated that we wouldn't need to fire a gun in anger, just upload a code to destroy a specific nations infrastructure. To cripple an aggressor without losing a life is very evocative and inexpensive. With computers controlling almost every aspect of our lives, one in possession of that code could hold governments - the _world _to ransom…' As Bones finished her soliloquy to rapt chilled silence, she looked around all the stunned, worried faces, and added to calm, 'Its just a _hypothesis_.'

Seeing her shrink a little, Booth grinned, and gave her a squeeze. 'Stop freaking us out, Bones.' Bones snaffled into his cheek, and cutely pecked it, with a grin on her face.

Genny spoke next, and brought them back down to earth, 'I've asked Agent Flynn to put pressure on Apricot to relent on that decision but they're determined to find out what he's planning next before they make a move. Luggia and Hacker are not playing ball either.'

Sweets nodded, saying, 'They're running scared - especially after I pointed out Pelant must have read my files on them and now AD Thomas was murdered, they're acutely aware they might be next in the firing line…' On hearing that, Booth grimaced, sucking air in through his gritted teeth, empathising with how vulnerable they must be feeling.

Now Cam gave out her orders, 'Ange - Jack, you need to redouble your efforts working out the worm Pelant is using and then find a way to counteract it or destroy it - nobody should get their hands on it.' They nodded. 'Genny, you need to link up with Interpol to find the connection we missed or work it out yourself.' She nodded sternly. 'Caroline, you can start compiling the evidence and preparing your case against Pelant.'

'You got it. It'll be so airtight he'll won't be able to _breathe _in that dock,' she offered arrogantly.

Cam then spoke directly to Bones again, 'We're working flat out at the Jeffersonian in conjunction with the FBI Labs. We're raking over the forensic debris from the explosions, Ethan's room and the mailbox.'

Cam was about to continue but paused when Ange interrupted hesitantly with, 'Eerrm.' Everyone looked to her. 'I don't know if I should say this but its _really _important - I hope you'll forgive me, Booth, for not telling you privately - but Parker told me something today…' Booth sat a little straighter to listen, and nodded for her to continue. 'He told me he was doing something on Tempe's computer when the bomb went off.' The partner's exchanged glances, knowing they were going to get an answer for the question they'd already pondered. She said sweetly with a tender smile, 'Apparently he was watching some video of Christine.' Both partner's felt themselves hold each other a little tighter, and ache for the young man. Ange wasn't about to ruin Parker's surprise so left that detail out when she continued, 'He was coming to show you that the security camera in Christine's nursery caught _Pelant _in your home.' Bones felt Booth stiffen beside her, and gently stroked over his thigh to calm him. 'So I've asked for the computer to be brought to me. If I can retrieve the images from the hard drive we can _confirm _Pelant was in your home and targeting you. It could provide a link to the bugs and the ghost bank accounts in Europe. It will be our first _definitive _visual evidence relating to Pelant that a jury _cannot _discard. I played down its important to Parker because he was a _little _upset that your laptop got broken when he knew he shouldn't have been playing with it.' Not caring about that one iota, but deeply touched, Bones kissed Booth again on the cheek, and they shared a moved smile, excited by the lucky break. The rest of team brighten too.

'That's _fantastic_,' Genny said, all smiles again. Cam and Caroline agreed with her with equally huge smiles. Sweets slumped back in his chair, looking cautiously relieved too.

'Well, I'll see what I can do - but I'm hopeful,' Ange said with a bolstering smile for the partners.

'Ok. Where was I?' Cam looked at her minutes, then went on, 'I'm still working AD Thomas' case with your interns, Bren. Plus Wendell is wrapping up Tasmin's case too.' Bones pricked up her ears again, eager to hear the results. 'We confirmed cause of death. A mother's worst nightmare - infant cot death syndrome.' Stoically Bones nodded, suspecting as much. 'The baby's rib fractures were definitely post mortem. She obviously attempted to resuscitate the child but clumsily and it was misconstrued as violent abuse.'

Sombrely Bones explained, 'Yes - CPR is a difficult and delicate procedure to perform on an infant - even for a trained professional.' Cam agreed with a solid nod. 'When Tasmin explained to me what happened and her actions following, I suspected she hadn't murdered her child. But on waking had discovered she wasn't breathing and thought she'd crushed her while sleeping in the same bed. Obviously distraught, guilt-ridden and traumatised Tasmin confessed to the police that she'd killed her child - convinced she had. The coroner naturally performed a post mortem and found the fractures to her ribs and neck - caused when she attempted to _shake _her awake.'

'Oooh. God,' Ange pined pitifully, shaking her head as that terrible image flashed through her mind. Jack was quick to comfort her through the rollercoaster of emotions they were all feeling.

Sweets added, 'The police inevitably charged her with her murder. She's a sweet young woman but simple minded and very naive.' Bones looked to Booth who was proudly staring into her eyes for the great service she'd done for Tasmin, while caressing her back. 'Her Nigerian boyfriend of just a few weeks told her he was HIV positive and had heard how he could be cured. He explained that by having unprotected sex with a _virgin _it would cleanse him of the virus. That cruel myth is still virulent in certain parts of Africa.' The educated around the table nodded, understanding that, and knew what was coming next, 'Tasmin loved him and _honestly _thought he was telling the truth and so gave up her virginity to him. When she discovered she was pregnant he disappeared. It was then Tasmin started to question his motives and took a HIV test. And we know now thankfully she _hadn't _been infected.'

The heart-wrenching tragedy of the whole situation hung heavy around the table and dampened eyes. Cam broke it with, 'The good news is that Trope believes there will be a hearing but its unlikely Tasmin will serve anymore time behind bars, thanks to you, Tempe.' Booth could see Bones was relieved to hear that.

'I have a question,' Booth said. 'What happened to the guard that supplied Claudette with drugs?' Cam gestured towards Caroline to answer that.

'Oh. She wasn't just supplying Claudette with Pelant's drugs she was _the _supplier to three cell blocks. Tony knew she had a bad egg in her box but needed proof. Claudette gave up her name.' On a sugar rush Caroline flamboyantly explained, 'Tony and me interrogated her. She _squealed _like suckling pig on a roastin' spit!' A brace of wry smiles drifted towards her for the metaphor but she carried on regardless, 'She'd been sent a key to the _same _mail box as the loony-bin nurse too, where she found cash. She bought the drugs with it and kept a cut for herself. She's been charged with several offences and will serve a looong sentence _if _she's lucky enough to survive past the first week...' Everyone knew the bent screw had little chance of that once she was the wrong side of the bars. But no one felt much sympathy for her tribulations to come.

'Ok, if there's nothing else - I think we can break out the brandy, Jack!' Cam urged with a relaxed smile now her programme was complete, and closed her file.

Booth and Bones looked at one another, surprised they weren't given any tasks to do, so they asked in unison, 'What can we do?'

Everybody looked to them with their jaws hanging. Ange was the only one who risked a resounding reply of, '_Nothing_!' Bones and Booth's jaws hung now. 'You've had your orders - _doctors _orders. You have to rest!' Jack was grinning, and already pouring brandy into eight crystal brandy balloons on the sideboard.

'Come on everyone. Let's go through to the lounge and get comfortable,' Jack ordered gently, carrying a tray of brandies, leading the way. They all traipsed after him, leaving their files behind. Bones and Booth were last to leave the room, but Booth held her back gently.

She turned towards him, and stepped very close, catching in his eyes something that he was worried about. 'What is it, Booth?' The door closed leaving them alone. He chewed his bottom lip, deciding whether to tell her. 'Booth,' she urged a little more strongly to encourage.

'Don't get mad at me,' he whispered. She dropped a hip, then pecked his lips with a grin, loving his little boy look. 'I met Daniel again…' Bones stared into each of his pupils, holding her breath, losing that grin immediately. 'He sent me another message from your Dad. I _think _it's another religious one…' Bones stepped back slightly, expressing her confusion with a wrinkled brow. 'The postcards he's been sending hold a clue to something. My gut is telling me its about Pelant and what he's up to - but I can't see how Max would know that. And if he did know why hasn't he just _told _us - why all the secrecy?' Booth asked her with a vexed expression.

Bones had learnt to trust his instincts over the years and didn't doubt them now. 'We need to share this with them -,' she gestured over her shoulder into the lounge, 'unless you have a reason not to - do you trust them all?'

Booth quirked his lips. 'I trust _you,_' he said firmly, making her smile, and toy with his fingers. 'It's not that I don't trust them but - Cam's been drinking - a _lot_.' Bones cocked a brow. 'Caroline's comfort eating - God knows what's getting at her. And Genny is under kosh with Flynn - he's under orders from above - so she might be compromised. And I don't like what Apricot is _not _telling us. As for Sweets, he's watching us too closely for comfort. Did you see him when we were kissing?' Bones nodded, but had thought nothing of it.

Bones could sense his deep unease so posed, 'But you trust Jack and Ange?'

Nodding, Booth confirmed solidly, 'Yeah - yeah I do.'

'So do I. We'll talk to them when everyone has gone home.' Booth nodded, then suddenly snapped her into a deep French kiss that took her completely off guard. Feeling her pulse spike, she sunk into it effortlessly, then she realised why he'd instigated it.

'Woops! Sorry,' Ange apologised, barging in on them. 'Put her down, Stud. Plenty of time for that when the lights go out,' she reminded with a wry smile, adding, 'We're waiting for you.' Bones smiled warmly at Booth, retook his hand, and they wandered into the lounge. Everyone else was chatting and sipping Jack's best brandy when they sat in the only chair available by the bay windows. Bones waited till Booth sat, then nestled on his lap, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. The lights in the lounge had been dimmed and there was soothing background music playing, creating a cosy atmosphere.

'Something's been really bugging me -,' Genny carried on her conversation and update, 'We've not found AD Thomas's Merc - what do you think Pelant did with it?' Her question was an open one to all, and asked after she sipped her delicious brandy.

'Crushed it, burnt it out, rolled it into a river?' Sweets offered a list to possibilities, not expecting what Bones was going to say next; it was delivered matter-of-factly.

'That's simple and obvious - surely? Contact Mercedes Benz and have its location transponder signal searched for.' While absently caressing Booth's nape, she explained from first hand experience, 'They're like black boxes in aircraft - extremely resilient and strong while being notoriously difficult to turn off.' Bones rambled on, musing casually, 'Although black boxes are in fact luminescent _yellow_, and not black at all.' There followed a hush of almost child-like embarrassment that they hadn't thought of that already. Seeing all the gob-smacked faces Booth grinned hard, then bit a hungry kiss on Bones' throat, as if he was eating her up. She chuckled, and scrunched up her shoulders, then placed her palms on his jaw, and hummed her affectionate kiss on his lips for his admiration.

'See - we _can _help?' Booth goaded smugly once released from her kiss. Everyone grumbled in an amused way at his challenge, then continued chatting. Bones slouched over Booth in a possessive way, which he adored the sensation of, and held her back just as protectively. Bones just caught Sweets tilting his head as he observed them interact, when the others didn't seem to notice their overt affection. Booth had been right, she realised, he was watching them closely, but didn't feel anything other than joy in his smile for them being safe and together again.

When the conversations got loud enough to create cover, she whispered in Booth's ear, 'You're being paranoid about Baby Duck - he's just pleased we're ok.' Booth looked up into her eyes, caressing her thigh, then slid that hand up to her stomach very seductively under the cover of the busy conversation. He felt the merest shiver run through her.

'Is that your guts telling you?' he whispered on her lips, peering right down into through her glittering eyes. He felt her lips curl against his, and her hand join his on her stomach. She hummed to confirm, feeling a tingle of sensation fizzing up her spine.

Ignoring the company they were in and the social protocol but not her instinct and rising passion, she kissed him. Biting wet slow kisses over his lips to tantalize, she then delved inside her muted prize for her manna. He matched her languid pace, tenderness and easy sensuality; offering back the love she wanted him to feel. Her response was to moan softly, and roll her buttocks extremely covertly on his lap. It took all his restraint not to push up with his pelvis to stimulate himself further.

Discreetly Ange nudged Jack, and nodded towards the couple necking on the chair opposite. Jack grinned wide slowly, thinking them reminiscent of teenagers at frat party in a quiet corner.

This kind of kiss was almost unheard of before Bones was taken away from him, Booth mused. It was fast becoming something he was getting used to receiving, and then he realised why she'd changed her modus operandi. In his letter he'd pointed out he always had to slow her passion down for him. She'd obviously taken that on board and was training herself not to dive into the waves of desire but surf the delectable crests for as long as possible to worship him, as he had always done to her.

Understanding that now, Booth melted into the soft chair while she curled her tongue around his in a meticulously delicate way, and absorbed the tenderness she bestowed. He felt his groin and nipples tighten and sizzle; his body temperature rise and muscles thicken, and his mind run lusty scenarios for when they could be alone to express this love physically. In their own microcosm they wallowed for several minutes, unaware that their audience had gone silent as they watched on with increasingly slack jaws.

Moments later Bones suddenly broke the decadent kiss, snapped her eyes across the room to Caroline, and asked her ordinarily, 'Did any of postcards Max sent survive the explosion?' Booth just managed not to whimper aloud like a deprived child on Christmas morning, without losing his debonair status. Instead he regrouped by taking a deep breath, and hiding his steamy blow out behind her shoulder.

'Oh! You came up for air then?' Caroline smirked but in a sassy way. Bones huffed her amusement, glancing to a flushed Booth again, then swung her gaze around the room.

'Osculating with Booth is wonderfully relaxing and you did _insist _we relax.' Booth preened with masculine pride, puffing out his chest but thought kissing her was far from relaxing in the true sense of the word. 'Did they - they were on my dresser?' Bones asked again, eager to know.

'I've still got the one from Xi'ang at the Lab,' Cam informed positively, slipping off her heels, and tucking her feet up under her thighs. Bones nodded, then with hope looked back to Caroline.

'No, Cher,' she said apologetically, then grimaced, 'Apart from the fire damage there was also water damage.'

Bones sagged. 'Oh. Yes, of course.' She re-draped herself over Booth, feeling his loins resettle under her buttocks too.

'But we can remember where they were from, right?' Cam said to encourage, noting Bones' forlorn expression.

'Hawaii first, then Antigua,' Bones reminded.

'Then I got that sketch from Egypt,' Booth added, giving her another tender cuddle. Bones rested her head on his, and nodded. 'The one from New Zealand came to the mighty hut.'

'You know what - I'm kinda put out actually?' Ange moaned haughtily, slinging her feet onto Jack's thighs. With a wry smile, he dutifully rubbed her feet, while sipping his brandy. Meanwhile the team all looked at her to explain her affronted comment. 'Well, you _two _got a postcard _and _Cam - but not us. I feel left out - unloved,' Ange scolded Max in his absence, throwing her chin in the air.

Booth sniggered. 'Haa. Maybe it was sent to the wrong address - you have so many! Max doesn't know about this place, does he?' Then he asked sarcastically, 'Do the US Postal Service deliver down here?' Ange and Jack suddenly stared at one another as the same thought crossed their minds, and froze like rabbits in headlights. Everyone stopped talking, and held their breaths. Booth asked again, 'Guuuys, does Max _know _about this bunker?' Jack shook his head, then stood up tall like a Scotch pine almost tossing Ange off the couch.

With his eyes glittering, Jack said, 'He hasn't sent one to our _city _home but I haven't checked the mansion for days….'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Interpol HQ**

**Lyon**

**France**

Yawning, then checking his Breitling, Thierry looked out the open door of his office to see he was alone: all his subordinates were long gone and probably tucked up in bed with their partners, he thought. Standing, he switched off his computer, and slid on his Versace suit jacket. Locking his briefcase, and heading towards the door with it his phone began to ring which checked his exit. Stalling, he sagged, dropping his head and shoulders, and half turned to look at the insistent phone. He debated whether to let the call go to answer phone, and looked at his watch again. He didn't have anyone at home waiting for him, but he was ravenous which made up his mind. Sneering at the phone, he kept on walking, finally closing the door on the ringing phone just as his answer phone kicked in…

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**London**

**Claridges**

The old opulence of their prestigious surroundings didn't phase Max or Maria, and they played their parts handsomely. 'I'm so sorry, Mr Sanchez, all our suites have been booked for months, if not years. It's the Olympics, you see? But we can accommodate you on the sixth floor. It's a lovely room, I assure you.' Max looked at Maria, not knowing what to do for the best.

Knowing why he was hesitating, she smiled warmly, saying, 'We might as well take it, Darling. This is the third hotel we've tried tonight. It'll be the same everywhere.'

Max twitched in his shoes, then nervously stepped closer, and whispered in her ear so the dapper receptionist couldn't hear, 'But it's just a double - we'll have to _share_.' Maria grinned a little harder, then looked into his eyes, and casually shrugged a shoulder. 'Are you sure?' Maria almost laughed, but just smiled, and nodded. Max turned back to the receptionist, and handed over his Couts limitless credit card. 'We'll take it.'

'Very wise, Sir. And as a compensation the management would like to offer you two tickets for tomorrow evening in the Olympic stadium. They are _excellent _seats.'

Max gasped, '_Seriously?_'

The receptionist confirmed with a air of majesty, 'Oh. Yes, Sir.' Max beamed, and threw that hot smile to Maria. She chuckled, seeing his boyish excitement to be a part of the global event. 'You can take your lovely daughter too. She'll not need a ticket as she's obviously under twelve months. But we can arrange an au pair if you prefer to go alone.'

Max looked horrified at the suggestion, and briskly shook his head. 'God, no - we'll take her.' Picking her up from her stroller, he kissed her cheek making her chuckle, and squirm in his arms. 'You're gonna _love _all the people running and jumping, Chrissy,' he snuffled into her belly, while Christine patted his head like a drummer, and squealed carefree again…

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**A/N: **What will Christine make of the Olympics and will Max think to protect her ears from the cheering? Who left a message on the answer phone with Interpol and about what? Lots of questions answered in this chapter but is Booth right not to trust Apricot? What will Jack and Ange make of Wormwood? Can Ange break into Pelant's code? Find out in the next instalments of **Pelant **- Coming soon. Hugs, Lebxeb. XX**.**


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: **All characters portrayed here are fictional. No infringement of rights intended. Bones & its characters are a product of Fox Inc. & not mine. No financial gain is received from this work of fiction.

**Summary: **Bones and Booth are forced to retreat to safety and go underground where the team regroup. Pelant is shaken but being stalked evermore closely. "Nothing is what it seems…" - Seeley Booth.

**Rating: M **

**Thanks**:

**Pelant**

**Chapter XXII**

**The Following Morning**

**Jack & Ange's Bunker**

**Booth & Bones' Suite**

Booth stirred, automatically reaching for Bones beside him, with an expectant smile on his lips. He reached further away but still couldn't find her, so he opened his eyes. He saw her head's imprint in the pillows but she wasn't beside him, which made him sulk. But the drapes were already drawn and the gorgeous day rippled over him which marginally lightened his mood again.

Rolling onto his back, he stretched out his long frame, and yawned loudly. But it was cut short as Bones peered around the door with a healthy, breezy smile. 'Hey,' he said groggily, sitting up as she came in with a breakfast tray. He adored that his heart never failed to leap in his chest when he laid eyes on her every morning. Dressed in a new simple navy vest shirt and stonewashed jeans: he thought she looked radiant and strikingly attractive as ever. Her hair was tied back in a easy ponytail which bobbed behind her as she strode over.

'I let you lay in -,' she informed affectionately, placing the tray on his lap. 'We were both exhausted last night. I slept extremely well, clearly you did too.' She sat beside him on the bed, pinching a piece of his buttered toast, and took a crescent crunch out of it with her sparkling ivories. 'Parker's up already too and excited about you taking him fishing in the lake.' Booth sipped his coffee, coming around slowly, happy just to feel her body warmth seep into his shoulder that she was buttressed against. 'I told him that was your intention, I hope I didn't speak out of turn.'

'No - _course _not. I'm a little fuzzy, did we talk to Jack and Ange about Wormwood?' Bones shook her head.

'Not yet but finding the postcard from Venice made us digress, if you recall.' Booth nodded, remembering now with a solid smile. 'Take your analgesics,' she ordered sweetly, pecking his cheek, and got off the bed again to look at the view, finishing her stolen piece of toast. Booth threw the pills down his throat, then watched her, unable not to notice how sexy she looked thrown into silhouette by the sun blast. 'Sweets stayed last night.' Booth's brow drifted north. 'He's playing a 3D X-Box game with Parker. They were engrossed when I brought them a drink and completely ignored me.'

'Cam and Michele have great taste - your bum looks _awesome _in those new jeans,' he remarked with a randy smirk. Bones grinned, then turned her head to look over her shoulder at him. 'Come back to bed, Dimples.' He patted the sheet beside him, with a waggle of his suggestive brows. She snorted her amusement, then licked her fingers of crumbs slowly as she padded back, holding his fiery gaze. 'I missed waking up with you all over me,' he confessed with his best pout, flexing his pecs to deliberately to entice her. He saw her eyes drop to his torso for just fraction of a second but she refused to let her eyes linger there.

Taking the tray off his thighs, she climbed over the sheet, straddled them seductively, then palmed down his warm torso as if thanking him for the raunchy _come-get-me _flex. Booth shivered with rising heat, blistered by her sexy eye dance, slipping his hands down her flanks to her buttocks. His hard-on stood up between them: crying out for attention. Reminiscing, he knew she couldn't' resist to touch his erection, thinking it wouldn't be long now before she did.

Nuzzling into his ear, Bones gently, quietly refused his clear invitation with a breathed, 'I'm already dressed.'

Cock-sure and iron hard, he grinned, saying huskily, 'I can fix that.' Taking the hem of her t-shirt between his fingers he went to lift it off, but she stopped him. Booth froze, completely confused by her mixed messages and body language.

Still smiling, Bones treated his lips and hers to a moist clutch of soft kisses between the words, 'I've got a date with Ange. We're going riding in the grounds - I just came to wake you.' Booth groaned his bitter disappointment, dropping his head back to the headboard with a thud. Bones sulked for him, shuffled a little closer, and cuddled him close. 'Sorry.' Booth held her back, huffing hard into her shoulder, feeling her stroke his head to soothe. A few moments later she told him, 'Parker's waiting for you - it is nearly eleven, you know?' Booth snapped his head up, shocked it was that late already. Bones chuckled, seeing his appalled expression for his tardiness. 'I've got to go.' Booth nodded, dropping his eyes away from hers. She ran her index finger down the middle of his brow, then lifted his chin with it, as she said, 'We're going to meet up for a picnic lunch.' She tried to placate further with, 'That'll be nice, won't it?'

'Yeah, s'pose - but not as nice as making love with ya.' Searching his dimmed eyes, Bones dropped her gaze and smile, then slid off him and the bed. She realised her tactics weren't working as she'd hoped. Booth felt his heart stop as she walked towards the door to leave.

She paused to say, not looking at him but just barely looking over her shoulder, 'I'll see you later, Booth, enjoy your time with Parker.' Then she left quietly. Booth rubbed his brow hard, gritting his molars with frustration. He realised there was something he wasn't getting about her behaviour towards him, and moreover he was scared to ask her about it.

Booth flicked the sheets off himself just as Parker bounded in on a excited smile and fresh from thrashing Sweets, making him jump. 'Come on, Daaaad! Day's nearly over and the fish will be sleeping.'

Booth finally cracked a smile, then grabbed him around the neck, knuckling through his hair as he squirmed in his grasp. 'I'll be ready in five. FYI, Park, fish don't sleep.'

Breaking free, Parker balked, 'What-e_veeer_, Dad…'

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**London**

**Harley Street**

Mr Clancy confirmed, looking up from Max's clinical notes Maria had with them, 'Yes, I can arrange that.' Max and Maria exchanged relieved smiles. 'When would you like to have this last treatment?'

Max replied, 'Tomorrow - AM.'

Mr Clancy nodded slowly, then wrote a note on the file. 'We'll take a blood test to check your white cell count, if its high enough then I'll make the necessary arrangements.'

'What if it isn't?'

Clancy sat back in his large black regency leather chair. 'Then I'd strongly recommend you wait.' Max shook his head, that not being good enough, and stood to leave. He was prepared to find another doctor that was willing to let him take the risk. Maria caught his hand to stop him from leaving, seeing something in Clancy body language she recognised; greed.

Calmly Clancy waved him down to retake his seat, as he added, 'I don't fully appreciate the urgency but this is obviously very important to you.' Max nodded, and edgily sat back down, keeping hold of Maria's hand. 'If I do this there's a risk, not only to you, but to my reputation, you understand?' Max nodded, feeling Maria squeeze his hand for his underplayed positive statement. 'But speaking to your specialist in Mexico before you arrived he assured me that you _will _return to his care shortly.' Again Max nodded, although that was a out-and-out lie. 'I'm prepared to treat you here tomorrow despite my reservations. But if things go wrong - you were never treated by me.' Max grinned slowly getting his way, then glanced to Maria, who, he noted, still looked concerned.

Then Clancy said in staccato without a flicker of Hippocratic dishonour, 'Tomorrow - ten o'clock - cash…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**FBI HQ**

**Apricot Operations Briefing **

'What do you mean you _LOST _him?!' Hacker balled out the sheepish looking team, clearly incensed. He shot to his feet, and paced around room like a hunting lion. Everyone cowered in his shadow, except Genny; she let her mind calculate a way out of this potential disaster. 'You were _specifically _brought in to put some bite into this surveillance, and in _YOUR _words, put right what we'd failed at. And now you arrogant grunts have lost Pelant on your watch! My, God! Have you _any _idea how this looks now - you've humiliated us again? Seven, so-called, experts have failed to keep _one _man in your sights!'

'Andrew, calm down. We can fix this,' Luggia eased, though not sure how they could.

Hacker came to a standstill, and shot back sarcastically, '_Really_? Before another AD is murdered or what if he targets the Director this time?!' The Apricot team twitched, averting their eyes from Hacker who began circled them again. He stared at them all, sneering, 'Or was this a _deliberate _screw-up? You've been advised by the Jeffersonian and us to bring Pelant in but ooh no, you _insisted _we leave him out there - and we all know the real reason for that, don't we?' With that brave accusation Genny lifted just her eyes from the page she was writing on to carefully scrutinise the commander of Apricot team directly opposite. He didn't show any emotion either way for the direct smear.

During the following oppressive silence Genny ventured, 'We can restart our tracking from the last point of contact. He might have changed vehicle. We never found AD Thomas' Mercedes. They're fitted with locating transponders. If we can get it traced we may get lucky.' Calming, Hacker patted Genny's back solidly.

'Well done, Agent Shaw. At least _someone _in this room is on the ball. Get it done,' Hacker ordered. Flushed scarlet, Genny nodded up at him standing by her shoulder. 'Any other inspired ideas?'

Shyly Genny added, 'Umm. Yes, actually. If he's gone and we're certain of that - what's stopping us from going into his house?'

Hacker broke out his pearly whites, clearly very impressed with his diminutive Agent but only in stature, not intellect. There was a gaping silence where everyone could hear a pin drop until Hacker said, 'Absolutely nothing.' Andrew then flicked his hand to dismiss Apricot to get on and do that immediately. They all got up, happy to get out of the meeting with their tails between their legs. With them leaving it left; Luggia, Flynn Genny and Hacker in the room.

Hacker sat back down beside Genny, and smiled handsomely, looking like a harmless pussy cat now: not the beast he'd just displayed. Genny took a double take of his admiring smile, and gulped slowly.

'Shall I go, Sir?' Andrew flicked his eyes to Luggia and Flynn, then shook his head.

'We're all very impressed with you, Agent Shaw.' Genny reached her blush capacity but tried desperately to not notice. 'Tempe came up with the transponder idea, didn't she?' Genny broke into a smile, and nodded to confirm his suspicion. 'Thought so. She knows all about Mercedes and had one given her once.' Genny sat back in her chair, glancing to Flynn who looked ice cool as usual, keeping his eyes on her. Genny felt as if she was being assessed and a little uncomfortable. 'Have you any other information to pass on?'

'Umm. One thing, yes. Parker Booth saw Pelant on some security video in their mighty - home. But the laptop was badly damaged in the blast. Ange has asked for it to be given to her to see if she can salvage the clip.'

Heartened, Hacker oozed, '_Great_. We'll keep that information between us for now.' Genny nodded. Hacker dropped his tone, and played with Genny's pen, as he said almost covertly, 'We - us here, are having doubts about Apricot's motives. Are the underground team having the same doubts?'

Genny grimaced, clearly not sure. 'Bones and Booth seem a _little _suspicious, I think - you'll have to ask them. But I can say, after this morning's briefing, I know I am.' Hacker nodded seriously, understanding that completely.

'Trust your instincts, Agent Shaw. Please, pass on what's happened here.' Genny nodded she would do precisely that...

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Jack & Ange's Estate**

**Beech Wood**

Barmy breezes were becoming the norm this uncannily hot summer, Ange thought, as it whistled through her flowing hair and battered her face into a ecstatic smile. Although she preferred living in the city the magnificent estate was looking at its finest right now and she loved being here despite the circumstances. And riding through it was the best way to experience all it had to offer for the senses. All the trees were in full emerald and jade flush as were the pretty fragrant meadows: catching her alert eyes. Those tress were harried by chirping birds catching their lunch as they rode under the lower dressed boughs: heightening her hearing. The evocative scent of the kicked-up earth; warm creaking leather, and the power of a muscular, eager horse at her command gave a soul-lifting pleasure. It was a powerful, almost forgotten, gift to treasure, and couldn't remember why she didn't do this more often.

Golden streaks of sunlight lasered through the gaps in the trees creating pockets of strong heat which their skin registered the change in temperature, like a kiss given then taken away. It had been years since Ange had ridden, and knew that was the same for Bones but could see she was relishing the rare treat just as much as she was. All this verdant space was exactly what Bones could do with, Ange judged, after being cooped up inside for so long, and knew her suggestion had been the right one to lift her spirits.

Flash weaving through the wood at a rapid canter the friends glanced to each other. 'Isn't this amazing?!' Ange called over to her friend, needing to express her elation with her as they bolted through the light and shade; kicking up sand on the track in their wakes.

Bones glanced to her right, and smiled, then kicked on hard with a shouted instruction to her ride, 'Get-on!' and started to accelerate away. Ange laughed at her starting a race, then kicked her ride on too, to blaze after her. The two chestnut geldings they'd chosen were enjoying the gallop as much as they obviously were but starting to sweat up in the sweltering heat.

Suddenly the trees were left behind and they tore out into the dazzling sun and blazing heat, racing side by side through the tall grasses of Buttercup Meadow. The vicious heat lashed at them like a seductive whip and their hearts pounded with the adrenalin rush. 'Woohooo!' Ange hollered, getting the better of Bones and her steed, charging to the crest of a hill from which they could look back to the mansion and lake. The victor: Ange, looked back to see Bones slowing, and realised something was wrong as Bones never gave up on a race for supremacy.

Ange pulled up to a canter, turned and rode back, watching Bones face crumple as she came to a walk, dropped her reins, and covered her eyes with her palms. Ange's carefree smile slipped off her face as she came up to her. Bones was sobbing into her palms, her distress crushed the air out of Ange's lungs and her glee drifted off with the breeze.

'Oh. Sweetie, are you hurt - is it your rib?' Ange asked, finally reaching her, she grabbed Bones' reins, and held her panting horse as well as her own. Bones shook her head in feeble, heartbreaking reply. 'Oh. Tempe, what is it then?'

Gasping a breath, Bones wilted. 'I'm being foolish.' Then she rambled, 'I can't do this, Ange. I can't be this happy - it's absurd, I know - but it doesn't feel right.' Ange snagged her head back, totally perplexed. Bones wiped her eyes, taking another deep breath as if that was all she was going to give away. She snatched back the reins, sniffing, avoiding Ange's eyes, and trotted off.

Ange followed, saying, 'Oh. No you don't, Sweetie! Not this time - you are not gonna blank me out.' Ange insisted, '_Talk _to me…' Bleary eyed Bones glanced to her, still not checking her pace. Undeterred Ange kicked on, and stepped ahead of her. Bones pulled up suddenly; having to, then dissolved again with a roll of her head, losing her fight. 'You're scaring me, Tempe.' Ange dismounted just as Bones did, then Bones slumped to the ground amid the two foot high grass, and laid flat again with her hands over her streaming eyes.

Forgetting the horses, Ange hovered over Bones, watching her for a second, then the realisation dawned. Feeling her heart snap in two for her distraught friend, Ange laid down beside her, and dragged her gently into her loving embrace. Bones sobbed on her chest, holding her back, needing her consolation.

With the compassion and understanding of a mother, Ange whispered her permission and encouragement tenderly, 'It's ok, Tempe, let it go…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Lake Side**

Staring at a float, Parker blithely bobbed about on a small skiff with two rods and lines thrown out either side of the boat in the middle of the shimmering cobalt lake. Booth was on the shore fixing up the picnic with Jack. They were making every effort to make the area as pretty as possible for the ladies on their return. 'He's having fun,' Jack remarked, looking over to Parker. His thoughts elsewhere, Booth looked too, and nodded. Jack looked at his friend, seeing him distracted, concerned he asked, 'You ok?'

Clearly not, Booth stood straight, and took the chilled beer Jack handed him from the cool box. He snapped off the cap, and took a swig, staring at Parker. Jack sat down on the rug, looking up to him. Booth finally looked down into his eyes, then sat beside him quietly. He ripped off his t-shirt, and flung it aside. Shirtless too, Jack waited patiently for him to open up, not sure if he would with him.

A few moments later Booth said painfully, 'I don't know what's going on with Bones.' Jack cocked a brow to gently encourage him further. Nervously Booth said, waving his bottle ahead of himself, but not looking at him, 'She doesn't wanna - ya-know…?' Then he took another swig, surreptitiously glancing to Jack, hoping he got his meaning.

Jack thought he would keep this tricky conversation on a locker room level, judging Booth was very keen to get his perspective but not wanting to seem too sentimental, so he clarified casually, 'Get funky?'

Booth nodded, and swallowed hard. 'She's always up for - it, you know? But not now.' Again Booth glanced to his side, taking another sip.

Jack looked over to Parker, saying, 'Huh. Odd. Actually me and Ange said last night you two seemed really into each other, more than ever.'

Booth snapped his eyes to him now, encouraged that they'd noticed the change in her too. '_Yeah_, that's just it. Its usually me that starts all the cuddles and stuff but she's like, all _over _me.' Sipping from his bottle, Jack nodded his understanding. 'Don't get me wrong, I'm _lovin' _it -,' Booth assured positively, then said, sagging a little, 'but its not my _vintage _Bones - and that's as far as it goes…'

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**Buttercup Meadow**

Staring into the rampant blue above cocooned by the tall grass, Ange explained, 'You're scared she won't remember you, or worse, reject you when she comes home. You feel guilty for failing to catch Pelant before things got out of hand.' With tears still trickling, Bones sniffed on her shoulder, and nodded. 'You think about her _constantly_: wondering if she's got diaper rash or colic, has her hair grown, does she still laugh like she used to.' Ange felt more nods from her friend, and heard pitiful weeping that she couldn't help but add to with her own empathetic tears, 'You drive yourself _crazy _wondering if she's eating well, put on weight, or if you've missed her first tooth crowning.' Bones hummed a feeble whimpered reply, holding Ange a little tighter. Ange reciprocated by stroking down her arm to console, going on, 'You can breathe sometimes - or think straight for worrying. All those tiny milestones you'd looked forward to, have been ripped away from you and it _hurts _- and makes you angry and so sad for those things you've lost.' Nuzzling into Ange's empathetic shoulder, Bones' tears couldn't be stemmed although she tried to stop herself from disintegrating into bits. 'You've tried to put away all those emotions in a box: to shield yourself from your pain, not just for your sanity, but you don't want to add to Booth's worries either because you know he's feeling the exact same things.' Bones looked into Ange's eyes with chin quivering, seeing her tears ripple like streams down her temples too.

'How do you know all this?' Bones asked with a weak timbre.

Ange smiled, wiping Bones' tears away, as she said, 'I'm a mother too, Tempe. I've put myself in your shoes and felt your pain every step of the way. I can't believe after what you two have been through that you're still functioning. If our situations were reversed I know, I wouldn't have been as strong as you. There's one thing I don't understand, you said you couldn't be happy - that it didn't feel right, why did you say that?'

Rolling onto her back, Bones blew out her lungful into the sky, then she rolled her head to look into Ange's eyes, as she confessed, 'You know I hid my scars from Booth.' Ange nodded. 'He found the antibiotics in the bathroom and got suspicious.' Ange rolled onto her side, propping her head up on her palm to listen. 'He confronted me and asked why it was I refused to be sexually intimate.'

'Obviously you didn't want him to see the scars and knowing he would go all - Hulk. You did what you thought was best.' Bones nodded, then looked back into the washed out blue sky again.

'That night, the night of the explosion - just before it actually, I panicked when he backed me into a corner.' Bones confessed, still visibly distressed, 'To all intense purposes, I raped him to prove a point…' Ange's mouth dropped open, but snapped it shut when Bones rolled her head to look at her again.

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**Lake Side**

'I know why she did it now, I'd forced her to prove she still wanted me. Jesus, Jack, it was _nasty_. I mean she, she…'

'What?'

'_Jumped _me,' Booth shot back. 'She went down to get me up - I was ready in _seconds_.'

'Well, yeah, you _would _be - you'd been apart for so long,' Jack eased his clear embarrassment for his adolescent lack of control and sophistication.

'_Exactly_. And it _was _Bones, she's so damn hot, Man.' Jack aimlessly waggled his bottle to confirm that fact. 'And she's got an amazing…' without saying it aloud, Booth discreetly tapped his tongue with a finger. Jack nodded, looking quickly back to Parker snoozing in the boat to save each others blushes. Dropping his head, and picking at the moist label on his bottle, Booth added quietly, 'Anyway, things got worse from there.'

'Worse?'

'Yeah.' Booth then whispered part grimaced, 'She wasn't _ready _for me, you understand? That was a kick in the teeth.'

Jack sympathised, 'Ooo. Ouch, that's not good.' Booth shook his head, then sipped again from his frosted bottle.

'She's always ready - that kinda freaked me out.' Much more comfortable with Jack now, he said fairly casually to him, but with bitterness in his tone, and annoyed at himself, 'Then she did _that _Hymlic thing on my…' Booth waved his bottle again as if it was speaking eloquently for him.

When Booth trailed off Jack already got his gist, helping him out matter-of-factly, 'Scrotum?'

Surprised Jack knew what he meant, with wide eyes, Booth confirmed, '_Yeah_, you got it, and _boom_!'

'You lost your…' now Jack trailed off, gesturing with his eloquent bottle; neither daring to look each other directly in the eye.

Booth confirmed forlornly, like a shamed man, 'Like Krakatoa east of Java.'

'Right, right,' Jack said airily, looking back over to Parker, then asked tentatively, 'Did she umm…?'

Booth shook his head, and hung it sadly again. 'There wasn't any time for that, she wouldn't slow down. _Seconds _after I'd blown she just got off me and walked away.'

Jack could see his pride had been shredded by that, so responded accordingly, 'Oohh, Man - harsh.' Booth sighed deeply to confirm that was his thoughts too.

'I got angry and lost my cool. I was so mad with her - it wasn't how I expected our first time back together to go, you know?' he asked, looking into Jack's eyes now.

'Yeah, no, _course_; you wanted to make love not just screw.'

Nodding very slowly, Booth then recalled, 'She said she was sorry then showed me why she'd done it that way - her scars…' Booth suspected Jack knew about them via Ange, so wasn't surprised when Jack nodded sympathetically. 'Course I went ballistic. I wanted to kill that _fucker_. I grabbed my gun and ran out,' he sneered, then cooled to say, 'That's when the bomb went off. But what I don't get is why ever since then she's still holding back…'

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**Buttercup Meadow**

'I understand sex is a physical act for the male of the species and more about emotions for the female so consequently Booth is acting on his basic instincts.'

'Whoa, hold it there, Tempe. That might be true of an ordinary man but your Booth is no _ordinary _man.'

'Well, his penis _is _slightly above the average girth but completely normal in every…'

'Ha. That's not what I meant, Sweetie!' Ange nudged her in gentle reprimand for not understanding her. 'Booth's deeper emotionally than any man I've come across - he's practically a woman.' Bones looked at her as if she was suffering heat stroke. 'Look, forget all about that - just tell me why you don't feel you can make love with him but _sex _isn't a problem.'

Bones snapped off a stem of grass, and played with it between her fingers, while she explained, 'Being with Booth has confirmed to me there's a vast difference between sex and making love. Sex is something I can have with any male and it can mean nothing other than a physical release. But making love with Booth is not about the act its all about sharing our emotions and mutual bliss. I reasoned, and hoped that by being extrovertly demonstrative he wouldn't need more from me. I want Booth to feel good and I've made a concerted effort to assure him of my love of him.'

'Umm. We did notice,' Ange said with a wry smile.

Bones nearly smiled too, holding Ange's look as she explained, 'How can I possibly allow myself experience orgasm with him; that complete surrender to euphoria, when I'm so desperately unhappy? It would be utterly indecent. I'm scared for my reaction when I share that with him.'

'Oh, Tempe. After what you've been through I think it would be utterly indecent for you _**not **_to feel that freedom from emotional pain for a little while. Think about it, making love might be the _one _thing you can find strength and some comfort in together.'

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**Lake side**

Jack said with some perplexity, 'Just when you think you've got 'em all sussed out women change the goal posts and you're left pissing in the wind.' Booth snorted, nodding to agree wholeheartedly. 'It's weird she's giving you such mixed messages.' It was blatantly obvious to Jack what was up with Bones so he ventured carefully, 'May-be, maybe Bren's over compensating cos she doesn't feel up to making love but wants to make _you _feel good…' Booth snapped his eyes to Jack; that comment obviously having some resonance with him. Jack grinned shyly. 'I'm no expert but I sounds like she might be so unhappy she just can't bring herself to feel that emotional high with you. Think about it, making love is how Christine was created, that's a powerful emotion right there.'

'God, Jack, you're right - I can't believe my radar is so off.' Booth sagged forlornly, staring across the lake but not seeing anything but her face in his minds eye.

Gently nudging Booth's flank with his elbow, Jack reassured, 'Hey, give yourself a break, Man. You've had a hard time too - you're bound to be off your top game.' Booth clinked his bottle with Jack; thanking him for the generous compliment. They both took sips, then sighed. Then Jack asked tenderly, 'Has she talked about Christine much?'

Shaking his head, Booth answered, 'N'ah. Its too painful for her and I know she doesn't want to upset me by talking about her either - so we don't.'

'My advise, if you want it, is to let her be. Try not to get a rod on around her, that'll only put pressure on her and you don't want that.' Booth shook his head to confirm, knowing that would be a challenge though. 'My guess is she'll work through it and when she does - you'll be the first to know.'

'Cheers, Jack -,' with a handsome grin; his mind finally clearing, Booth gave Jack a one-armed solid guy hug, 'you're a diamond…' Booth felt better with a plan forming in his straightened out head, then changed the subject with a question, 'How's things with Ange?'

Jack slumped flat to the rug, and closed his eyes to the sun, saying, 'She's strung out about Pelant's worm. I know she'll get it, but…' Jack paused, rolling his head to look at Booth, considering if he should tell him their woes.

Picking up something in Jack's tone and eyes, Booth asked, 'But what?' Jack took a deep breath, making up his mind to tell him.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Buttercup Meadow**

'I have _every _confidence in your skills, Ange. I believe you're our best hope of breaking into Pelant's worm.' Grateful for the solid vote but unsure of her abilities, and feeling the unrelenting pressure, Ange just managed to smile half-heartedly. But she sat up sharply, and cast her eyes down the rolling hill towards the lake and mansion reflected in it. They could only just pick out the men in the distance and Parker laying in the boat with his legs hanging over the side. Bones mirrored her position, but looked to her to explain her troubled expression.

'If I don't we're all screwed, if I do, we're all screwed,' Ange said cryptically, waving her arm in a long all inclusive sweep of the vista. Bones didn't understand the gesture or her inflection. Ange glanced to her, knowing she was speaking in tongues, and tried to translate herself, 'In exchange for the contents of the chrome case I brought back from China - I _must _hand over the code-breaking primmer to a Communist country.'

Bones snagged her head back. 'Ange, that's very dangerous and I believe the FBI, not to mention our Security Agencies, will consider that illegal.'

'I _know_…. But I don't have a choice, Bren. Lives are at stake…' A long minute of silence stretched out ahead of them, only broken by a single screech of peregrine falcon high above their heads. Ange followed it with, 'I just have to trust the person I give it to will either destroy it or not let it get into the _wrong _hands.'

Laying flat again, Bones narrowed her eyes on a thought, airing it, 'Or they could put it in the _right _hands…' Ange snapped her gaze to Bones, seeing a none-existent smile develop on her lips but didn't understand her secret grin. Bones didn't elaborate.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**The Barracuda Cruise Liner**

**St Malo**

**West Coast Of France**

'Here you are, Sir. One of our finest presidential suites.' Nikolay stepped over the bulkhead into his impressive suite of room, handing a wad of notes to the penguin-suited cabin boy. '_Thank _you, Sir. I hope you enjoy the voyage. If you require any assistance, please don't hesitate to call me.'

'I von't,' Nikolay said pleasantly, ushering the eager young man back out into the corridor once his cases had been deposited. He closed the door, and turned just as the deck below his feet covered in fine carpet trembled: signalling the engines were powering up to leave the dock. He walked to his wide doors, and slid them open, stepping out onto the sun drenched balcony to watch the colourful ticker-tape farewell to land.

Watching the waving people, he drew out his IPhone from his pocket, and sent two texts. The first one was to Helga, it read: **"**_My sexy Helga, cabin as beautiful as U. I leave now. Cuba here I come! XX_**." **The second one he sent read: "_Safely aboard. Will contact again when arrived._"

Nikolay left the noisy furore behind, and placed his Samsonite case on the king size bed, and opened it. It was packed with clothes, shoes and toiletries; nothing out of the ordinary to the casual observer. He unzipped the bulky toiletry bag, and walked into the ridiculously opulent bathroom, then deposited his tooth brush in the glass cup. He looked around, sniggering at how plush the room was and that he was indeed living like a president.

From the bulky wash bag he very carefully he picked out two cans of Right Guard deodorant. He weighed them in either hand, then grinned, catching his reflection in the mirror. That rugged, smug smile drifted off his face as he noted a shadow created by a lump under the skin of his throat. He swallowed hard, his eyes and soul turning cold, with stomach churning.

Replacing the cans back in the bag again, then picked out a can of shaving foam, placing that on the glass shelf along with a can of Sure deodorant. Once done he zipped it up, and left it on the counter, returning to his balcony to watch the land disappear and the open sea become his new landscape…

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**London**

**Claridges**

With a clump of hair in his hand covered in suds, Max closed his eyes, feeling sick at the realisation of what was happening to him. Slowly he turned his palm over, and let the cascade wash it all down the drain. The mass of blonde hair clogged the drain making the bath fill very slowly around his feet. Max ran his fingers through what was left of his hair, taking out more clumps. He kept telling himself it was just hair; hair he cut regularly, and silently assured himself it would grow back. But that didn't stop his tears mingling with the warm cascade. Although he felt strong and well his hair loss was a visual reminder not just to him, but everyone else, that he was undoubtedly sick. That was the cruel insidious fact with cancer; you don't feel ill or pain it's the cure treatments that make you feel sick. Until now he'd been able to push away and compartmentalise the devastating emotions that went with that knowledge, but not now.

Stepping out of the shower, he wrapped a towel around his hips, and looked at himself in the mirror. It was steamed up obscuring him, so he rubbed away the condensation with his palm. The brutal shock hit him like a punch to his solar plexus: buckling him. Swaying with the rush of air that left his lungs, he grabbed the sides of the sink, and bowed his practically bald head. He fought back his tears, dragged in air, shaking his head to reprimand himself for his weakness. Gritting his jaw, and looked back up at himself, determined not to be a victim.

Knowing he couldn't go out looking like a spud gone to seed, he frantically looked around for a razor. In a slight panic, not seeing one, he strode out into the bedroom, asking Maria, 'I need a razor - have we got a razor - I can't find one - have you got one?' Shocked by his stern, almost manic, tone Maria looked over from the chair she was sitting on with Christine on her lap. He didn't register her eyes or hearts sympathy for him, and said more insistently, 'I _need _to shave this crap off,' rubbing his scalp.

Without a word Maria stood, and came over with Christine in her arms, forging her eyes with his. Christine gurgled happily, reaching for Max, unperturbed by his bizarre tufty appearance. Max couldn't help but smile at Christine as she squealed; excited to be held by him. Maria put her straight into his arms, seeing Max's smile return gradually; drawn out by hers. Max began to calm. 'Hey, Chrissy,' he said softly, clearly moved by her unconditional love for him. 'Look at me all bald, like Humpty-Dumpty,' he said through his waning tears and adoring smile. Christine giggled as he nuzzled into her neck, buttering her with kisses, and sniffed away the remainder of his tears.

Christine was his salvation, purpose and medicine, the best medicine Maria realised, and smiled too, seeing them interact. Affectionately Maria slid her palm down Max's back, as she wafted elegantly past him to get a razor...

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**En route**

**Heading South**

Pelant heard his cell receive a text, he reached for it on the passenger seat beside him. While switching his eyes from it and watching the road ahead, he read the text message. A slow smear of a smile rippled across his lips, then he dropped it back onto the passenger seat. Shifting in the seat with excitement, he banged up the volume on the stereo, and put his foot hard down on the gas. AD Thomas' silver Mercedes took off like an Exocet missile while Pelant sang along to the tune loud and sharp, 'Every-body's gone _surr_-fin' - surfin' USA!'

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**A/N: **So Pelant is meeting up with Nikolay but to collect what? Will Genny Shaw get more than she bargained for when she contacts Interpol? Secrets are revealed but what is it that Bones knows that Ange doesn't? Another chapter coming this week if you're still interested. Comments welcome. Hugs, Lebxeb. XX.


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: **All characters portrayed here are fictional. No infringement of rights intended. Bones & its characters are a product of Fox Inc. & not mine. No financial gain is received from this work of fiction.

**Summary: **Bones and Booth are struggling but not for long. Ange and Jack have their own mountains to climb and start to feel the pressure. Pelant has disappeared off the radar but for how long? "Nothing is what it seems…" - Seeley Booth.

**Rating: M **

**Thanks**: **Jsboneslover**: No, I wasn't joking. But deep thanks for the vote of confidence. Love. XX. **PARMA**: Fab! Thx. XX.

**Pelant**

**Chapter XXIII**

**Bunker**

**Ange's Studio**

**02.02AM**

Jack stood in the doorway, and shook his head on seeing his beloved wife staring at a massive screen with her tablet computer in her hand. She'd been hauled up in here for hours in self-inflicted solitary confinement in an attempt to make progress on Pelant's code. He could see both cups of coffee he'd brought her had gone untouched and cold signally her focus was stalwart.

'Right, that's it. Michael will be up in a couple of hours, and you _need _to sleep,' he reminded sternly, walking towards her. But he stopped in his tracks when without turning, she lifted her hand sharply to stop his advance. 'What?' he enquired softly.

'I think I'm onto something…' Jack's stomach flipped with cautious excitement, and stepped forward to stand beside her. Her eyes never left the screen as it scrolled scores of lines of binary code which made him dizzy to watch. It all reminded him of a scene from The Matrix. 'There's a set of three digits that repeats every hundred.' Jack's jaw slackened.

'You mean you've been visually tracking _every _line?'

'Ar-ha. Then every thousand - _this _pops up.' Ange pointed to a few numbers which meant nothing to him. 'I'm pretty sure this is the DNA of the primmer - the sticker, or marker which creates the link. I've just got another couple of thousand to check, then I'll come to bed.' That was too much checking for Jack.

'Oh. No - not tonight. Sleep-bed-_now_. That's an order.' Jack took the tablet from her hand, and put it on her large white bench. Ange sagged, feeling her head throb, and in truth was grateful for his intervention. Slipping his arms around her waist, he turned her from the screen, and frog-marched her out of the studio. 'It'll still be here in the morning.'

She plodded around the corridor with him, passing Booth and Bones' suite, which prompted her to say, 'Bren was a little upset today - she broke down with me actually.'

'Yeah, I got that from her red eyes - the Big guy wasn't much better.' Ange glanced to him, so he explained, 'We had a man-to-man. I think he just needed to talk. He didn't understand why she was holding out on him.' Ange nodded, squeezing his hand for being there for Booth. 'They seem ok now though.'

'Yeah. They'll work it out - they always do. They just have to adjust to the new reality.'

'And they really enjoyed the picnic. That was a good call, Ange.'

'Umm. So did Parker. He's such a great little guy, isn't he?'

'Ha. Yeah, he loved messin' around on that boat and was a great help making dinner.'

'Oh. Sorry I left you all to it,' Ange pined, taping in the code to their suite. Not caring that they had to fend for themselves, Jack pushed the door open, and the lights came on. Ange winced, saying quickly, 'Dim,' and the lights immediately dropped sixty percent, then she sighed with relief.

'No problem. We had a lotta fun all of us. Michael and Parker get on really well - he's so good with him.' Ange flopped flat to the bed with a groan, then lethargically healed off her flats. Jack stood at her feet with a soft smile curving his lips, then taking her hands, pulled her up gently. Ange looked over his face, and smiled because she understood that expression, then pulled him closer for a kiss.

Once shared, she asked, 'Really - now?' nuzzling his whiskers tenderly.

Jack knelt down between her legs, wrapping his arms around her waist, and laced his fingers while she fingered through his hair, 'I just wanted say -,' he began, mouthing kisses over her face between, 'I'm so _proud _of you.' He pulled up her t-shirt over her head, tossing it aside. 'You've been holding everyone together.' Then he unhooked her bra carefully, Ange rumpled her lips, thinking that statement was up for debate. 'You know I'll love you until the stars burn out, right?' Ange grinned a tad wider as he slipped off her bra, and tossed it too. Jack took a long appreciative look, sliding a palm down the middle of her caramel torso, till his fingers found the stud on her jeans.

'A'aaw. I love you too, Baby.' Ange felt a shiver radiate out across her chest to tighten her nipples; Jack didn't miss them peaking, and took full advantaged. Mouthing over her left peak, he suckled tenderly, making her hum. Closing her eyes, and crumpling flat to the bed again, she felt Jack multitask to remove her jeans and panties to her thighs. He stood, stripping the rest of her clothes away very slowly. Although she was aroused she was still exhausted, so warned, 'This is gonna be a little one sided - I don't think I can move.' Bonding his eyes with hers, Jack grinned, hovering over her flawless nakedness in a _take me, _lazy pose.

'N'aaa. Not tonight - I just puttin' ya to bed my, _Queen _of the Underworld.' Ange sniggered softly, batting her heavy eye lids, trying to keep them open. Jack lifted the sheets then her legs to settle her on the bed. She groaned again, and let the cool sheet and sumptuous mattress take her full exhausted weight. 'Did Sweets decide to stay again?' she asked, watching him undress and gather their discarded clothes to the hamper.

'Yeah. I told him to move in for a while - he needs the company, I think.' Ange nodded, and let her eyes drift shut. As Jack slipped under the sheet beside her to settle himself, Ange rolled, and caressed his furry chest. She felt his lips brush her brow, and smiled, emptying her lungs once more. In moments she was asleep, and missed Jack say quietly, 'Genny got a message to Sweets to tell him to tell us Pelant has done a runner - Apricot lost him. Lights off.' The lights went out as Jack continued to speak to the dark, 'Booth thinks it wasn't incompetence but deliberate - Bones agreed with him. I gotta say I'm sceptical too, Ange.' She didn't respond, but did shift slightly against him which made him think she was still listening.

Wrinkling his brow on a thought, Jack went on, 'And this Wormwood twist is got me bent outta shape too. I've tried the number sequences we used for Daniel but all I got was a _splitting _headache. It gave us: 23-15-18-13-23-15-15-4,' Jack mused, running over the combinations again aloud, hoping for inspiration. 'It didn't highlight possible dates or Bible passages or coordinates, a phone number - _nothing_. I reversed them, added them up, divided by pi,' he blathered on, then relaxed again when he said, sounding mildly defeated, 'I don't know what it means. All I do know is, the shrub artemisia vulgaris is more commonly called mugwort or wormwood depending on where you live in the world. That's the only connection I can come up with so far.' Ange suddenly started snoring on his chest, breaking his chain of thought. Jack grinned, enchanted by her gentle mewing, then closed his eyes on a sigh, and another peck to her warm brow. He finally whispered, 'Sweet dreams…'

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**Booth & Bones' Suite**

**02.31AM**

Booth knew she was awake because he could feel her lashes blink on his chest, and his eyes were wide open too but staring at the ceiling he couldn't see. They'd been in this starter position for sleeping and unmoving for three long hours, neither able to find peace from their racing thoughts. Finally Booth began again to just barely caress the smooth flesh on her back to comfort her to sleep, he hoped. But it had the reverse effect, as she said huskily, 'I can't sleep, Booth.'

'I know -,' he said sympathetically, 'me neither.' She looked up into his eyes but couldn't see him although he was inches away. Having the same trouble, Booth reached for the night lamp, and flicked it on. Bones squinted for a few moments, then almost smiled, seeing his mellow eyes and face again. 'I had a heart-to-heart with Jack today,' he said sweetly. Bones nodded, instinctually knowing what about.

Bones confessed too, 'I talked with Ange. She was very compassionate and understanding.'

Smiling warmly, and stroking her back, he praised their great friends, 'We're lucky to have them at our backs.' Bones nodded slowly to agree. 'She's a top lady, and Jack's a real decent guy. He helped me see things clearly.' Bones was the first to wordlessly broach the subject they'd been scared to discuss and made them insomniacs. Booth could see an apology swimming in Bones eyes for him: which he didn't need, want or expect, and she could see his empathy. She knew now he'd worked out what had been screwing with her logic and deep-seated emotions. That made her feel very safe again, understood and forgiven for her confusing behaviour.

With Ange's advice tolling in her mind, Bones slid her hand down his chest towards his sex with seductive intent. Unsurprised by her continued generosity, Booth grinned, but shook his head to halt her progress. He felt her hand stop just short of his navel, and saw her eyes enquire gently: why not?

Booth answered that question when he very slowly guided her hand back to his hip, successfully controlling his partial erection, 'Just having you next to me is all I need.' Booth edged a little closer, and pecked her lips. He felt her breathing hitch slightly, and saw slight confusion in her eyes. 'I wanna make _you _feel good, Bones - just for a little while…' Bones felt her eyes burn from his intense gaze, and her throat narrow. She couldn't refuse him again; to wound his pride once more might be a blow too deep, so she nodded for him to continue.

But anxious and agitated at the thought of hurting him again, she quickly lifted her hips, and slipped her hands to the waistband of her sleep shorts to rush through this. She lanced her gaze with his, feeling pulled in two different directions. Mistaking her urgency for rapid arousal, Booth encouraged her immediately with a languid devouring kiss that rasped the air from her lungs. She crooned, and joined it with his passionate deep kiss, slumping her hips back to the bed. No sooner than she had, he covered her body with his, resting on his elbows to keep his weight off her sore torso. Then his knee teased her legs apart, and she tried to gulp for air with the explosive sensations that were ricocheting up and down her spine. Although she was in two minds his honed body and passion never failed to ignite her desire and his vibrant kiss was unrelenting.

Repeatedly he nudged his knee gently against her crux making her gasp again, and whimper as the amps inside her increased in strength and power. And yet he didn't give up on the kiss, feeling her respond energetically, making him all the more determined to get her drunk on him.

This wasn't foreplay but his experiment; to discover if she was ready. He continued to kiss her into a pulp of sizzling flesh and bone beneath him. He changed angle multiple times without much warning, and stimulated her legs and body with his writhing movements. It was then that she noted vaguely that he wasn't hard as he normally was, but she didn't have time or the ability to comment, when his hand slid beneath her shorts, and rested on her steamy curls. She jerked, snapping her eyes open to his when he broke the sultry kiss. She could see he was nervous that she might be dry, while panting softly. Pinning her head to the pillow with his scorching gaze, they froze, knowing what each was fearing. With courage a second later he pressed his fingers gently forwards; his subtle litmus test.

'H'aarh,' she sighed out, slamming her eyes closed as he made full contact with her bud. Booth mumbled his guttural delight and relief, feeling her definitely moist and hot beneath his fingers. Then he slipped them further down to her soft yielding opening, then slid in, while smothering her sexy moan with another kiss. He felt her core flicker against his fingers and her pelvis start to move in rhythm against his: all boosting his bruised ego. With the heel of his hand butting her pulsing nub and curling his fingers inside her; he worked her juicy pussy into a frenzy. He became her sole instrument of pleasure and a slave to her wild rhythm.

Booth just perceived that her hands were trembling while scurrying around his back like frantic disorientated mice and her flesh burn against his. He chanted in the back of brain to stay soft but it couldn't control himself as she writhed, groaned and pushed herself towards the precipice; fighting with herself to let go. Her breathing became laboured and stilted, while her head tossed on the pillow, snapping apart their mouth's connection just to breathe fuel into her lungs. He let her have that for moment, then dived right back in as her lungs inflated which pushed her stony nipples into his bare torso. Fisting the sheet up beside her, she kicked out her quivering legs, and punched her hips up to meet his thrusting wild fingers, but nothing was firing in her disconnected brain.

Savagely she broke free again from his kiss. 'I _can't_. I'm sorry, I just can't seem to…' she blurted suddenly; a confession of distress and frustration with herself. Panting, Booth changed his approach, and withdrew his sopping fingers, not giving up yet. She melted into the sheet at his withdrawal, springing open her eyes just as he knelt up between her legs.

'S'ok -,' he eased, 'Let's slow this down, there's no rush.' She rolled her head on the pillow in delirium, not sure what to say in reply. Booth's hands were already busy again. He moved the damp cotton of her shorts aside, and smelt her hot sex trigger his full blown erection to pop out the top of his sleep shorts. Her juices were flowing like wine so he eagerly got down, and drank from her.

'Yes- _fuck _- _yes_, urh,' she gushed, and grunted, hoping, wishing that this selfless sybaritic act would do the trick as it had always done before.

Slowing his pace considerably, Booth suckled her nub tenderly, lapped at her inner pleats preciously, then tickled at her hyper-sensitive clitoral hood with his tongue's tip. Gnashing her teeth, she gripped his muscular forearms that were either side of her flanks and dug in her nails to his resilient flesh. The cords of her neck strained with the pressure he was building up but it still wasn't enough. He was using all his best moves and shakers but nothing was tipping her over. Just when she reached the point of no return into oblivion fading images of Christine screwed with her bedlam-filled mind: tossing emotions through her of; fear, loss and sorrow: counteracting and nullifying the feel-good emotions he was attempting to release.

Finally she focused on Booth doing his utmost to make her feel good, his efforts tore at her heart because it was all to no avail, and he knew it too. Defeated too, her body rapidly lost tension, and she relaxed her grip on his arms, to smooth them sweetly. He flicked his eyes up, but refused to quit, she noted. When she saw the dieing cinders of hope turn to defeat in his eyes, her chin began to wobble with concern for him. Her emotions inevitably overflowed.

With tears leaking, she placed her hand on his head, and pushed him away as gently as she could muster from her over-sensitized core, 'I'm so sorry - it's not your fault, it's mine,' she bleated with a harrowed expression, and slumped. Booth felt his heart wither and his ego and cock deflate, and dropped his eyes from hers. In their awkward silence that followed she quickly filled it with, 'You're very proficient and generous but with everything…' she paused when he shook his head, then slipped beside her again, and cuddled her close protectively. She wrapped herself around his body. Booth thought the best thing he could do was play down the effect his failure had on him to ease her clear distress.

'Shhh. It doesn't matter,' he whispered with a bolstering smile on his face. 'The big O isn't everything, is it?' Bones wiped her eyes, hugging him a little tighter, but feeling wretched for crushing his alpha male pride. 'I love all extra kisses and cuddles you're dishing up lately. Are you gonna keep that up when our Chrissy gets home?' Bones looked up into his eyes, and pledged her troth with a nod. Booth grinned wider at her, thankful he'd managed to sneak Christine's name into the conversation without causing her too much distress. 'Cool… Do you reckon you could teach me to ride one of Jack's horses?' Bones started to laugh softly as he changed the subject so effortlessly away from anything to do with the physical disaster they'd just blundered through. 'Can ya?'

Grateful they'd moved on, she said, calming with a sigh, 'Yes, Booth - after breakfast…'

'Great. I wanna be a cowboy - I've got those fancy chaps now, might as well play the part. Otherwise it's like wearing a Led Zep concert t-shirt and never been to see them - that's just _wrong_.' Losing her shaky smile a tad, Bones narrow her eyes at him.

'You're never going to let me live that down, are you?' Cuddling her even closer, and sniggering, he shook his head.

'Nnnnope…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Parker's Suite**

**07.45AM**

Yawning wide, and rolling across his double bed, Parker fumbled for the do-all remote on his nightstand. Once in hand he pushed the relevant button, and the plasma screen sprang to life on the wall opposite. He sat up, and changed channels till he found the one he wanted.

Rolling out of bed, he went into his bathroom, and used the facilities with the sound of the London Olympics being commentated on. He rushed to flush and wash his hands as he could hear the culmination of the eagerly anticipated final of the two hundred metres about to start.

Running to stand in front of the screen, he watched as Usian Bolt and his team mate Blake tore up the track igniting the stadium with tumultuous cheers and flag waving. He saw the towering figure of Bolt shoot across the line in first place then Blake and another Jamaican sprinter take the bronze medal; a clean masterful sweep for the small nation. The crowd and commentators were in raptures and awe at the result and waxing lyrical about the fastest man on earth who'd just sealed his place in the history books for doing the double, twice. Parker blithely punched the air as the repeats were shown in slow motion. As the screen capture reached the finishing line again Parker spotted someone in the crowd he thought he recognised. He scrambled towards the remote tossed between the sheets, and fumbled to freeze frame. He rewound the replay, and watched again. Marking the spot, he froze the picture, then walked up to the screen to get a closer look.

His eyes widened. 'Hoooly - Mother - Mary,' he said slowly under his breath, then fizzed with rising excitement and glee. He glared again to check he wasn't seeing things, confirmed it, then ran out of his room to his parents suite.

Parker barged in without knocking. Sitting on the edge of the bed, with her head in hands, Bones snapped her head around to see who'd rushed in. She dropped her jaw surprised by his unsolicited entrance and apparent exuberance. 'You-gotta-come -,' he bounced, waving her out of the room towards his, 'right _now_.' Then he asked slightly calmer, noticing Booth wasn't around, 'Where's Dad?'

'In the shower. What have I got to see?' Parker kept waving, not giving away the surprise, practically dragging her off the bed to follow him.

'Come _on_,' he insisted, tugging her hand. Bones dutifully followed. Parker blustered as they walked briskly to the next suite, 'I was watching the Olympics and I spotted someone in the crowd.'

'Oh. Who?' Parker grinned, and followed her into his room. He pointed at the screen, while watching Bones' reaction, with a humongous smile on his face.

Slowly Bones put her hand over her mouth in shock, when she saw Max three rows back from the track and finishing line. He was on his feet wearing a navy London Olympic cap on his bald head, and holding Christine up in the air as they cheered. Her beautiful baby was giggling, looked like she was thriving and wore the cutest white and pink outfit and protective earmuffs: all in Olympics insignia.

'This was the race last night - about ten o'clock, I think.' Bones nodded absently.

With heart thundering in her chest, and hands quivering, Bones felt her eyes dripping warm tears of relief and joy to see them all in one piece and clearly having fun. That relief weakened her knees so she slowly crumbled to the floor on the spot, without taking her eyes off their images. She grabbed Parker's hand a moment later, and pulled him down to and into a huge cuddle, seeing him as moved for her as he was for himself.

'They look good, don't they?' Parker sweetly understated, being crushed with a loving embrace, feeling Bones nod on his shoulder.

'Thank you, Parker.' She kissed his cheek hard and long, adding, 'I can't express to you what this means to me and your Dad.'

'Me too - I miss her like _crazy _too,' he said without adolescent shame. Bones stared into his eyes, full of admiration for him, and deeply touched by his admission.

Taking his hand in hers, she asked, 'Is there anymore footage?'

Parker smiled heartily. 'I don't know - shall we check?' Bones flared her eyes, while wiping her cheeks dry, eager to scrutinize more images just in hope. 'What do you reckon to the lady beside Max - she's _obviously _with him.' Parker saw Max peck her cheek just after he kissed Christine, and put her back on his lap.

'Umm,' Bones hummed, considering Maria for a moment, unable to knock the smile off her face. 'She's definitely his stereo-typical partner and _very _attractive - I expected Max to solicit help for this endeavour - a nurse of some calibre would've been a logical choice. She could give medical attention to Max as well as Christine if necessary.'

Parker nodded to understand, then glanced to her surreptitiously. 'He's lost his hair, Bones - do you think he's ok?' Parker asked tentatively. Bones grinned, and calmed his blatant concern.

'Hair loss is not uncommon with some cancer treatments - it _will _grow back -,' she said with a comforting smile, 'and often survivors report thicker and healthier re-growth.' Parker brightened, just as Booth plodded in looking bewildered, with a towel held around his hips.

'What's going on?' he asked, seeing Bones looking like a supernova had exploded in her eyes, and as elated as he'd ever seen her. Parker got to his feet, and pointed to the TV. Bones waved him down to sit beside her. Booth sat down, and looked at the screen. 'Oh. The two hundred metres - did Bolt win?' he asked casually.

Bones laughed, 'Ha. _We _won - watch…' Parker did the honours, then froze the frame at the end of the race. They both looked to him to see if he spotted them in the crowd. Booth narrowed his eyes at the images, and they saw his jaw hang. Bones smiled so wide it hurt, and grabbed his hand, smothering the back of it with kisses. 'Its our baby, Booth, and Max.' Booth couldn't help but be glad he was on the floor because he would have collapsed and probably hurt himself. He snapped Bones into a massive cuddle, with his own tears spilling down his cheeks.

Seeing their complete and colossal joy, Parker looked over at the drawer he'd put his surprise in, and made a decision, knowing, as Ange had advised, wait till he thought it was the right moment. Dropping the remote to the floor, he padded off towards the drawer, confident in this moment. 'Where ya going, Son?' Parker spun on a happy smile with the gift in his hand.

Handing the parcel to Bones, and pecking her cheek, he explained coyly, 'I made this for you to cheer you up.' Then he sat down beside her. 'I saw you crying in the nursery - I didn't mean to, it was an accident,' he added quickly. Bones smiled warmly to ease his nervousness, glancing to Booth who rubbed her back affectionately, not commenting on his revelation. 'I hope you like it…'

'Son, that's _awesome_. Thank you,' Booth praised without knowing what was inside the box yet. A very proud Booth fist-bumped Parker. Bones pulled the ribbon to unwrap it, then lifted out the DVD. Parker twitched in his skin, desperate to see what they thought of it.

'Put it on for us, Parker,' Bones instructed softly, already guessing what was on it, and prepared herself accordingly…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Claridges**

**London**

Maria blinked open her eyes, and smiled, seeing Max close his eyes fast in an attempt to hide the fact that he'd been watching her sleep. 'Too late -,' she chastised playfully, with a wry smile, 'I could feel your eyes on me.' Max opened one eye, trying not to smile. Maria slipped her arm out of the sheets, then stroked over his bald head with her hand. 'You suit a bald head.' Max quirked his lips, screwing up his nose, obviously not agreeing. He rolled onto his back, and looked up to the fancy Georgian gilded plaster work over their heads.

'I better get up. Last treatment in two hours - then its over,' he said, determined for it to be so. Maria knew it would probably be the same for them as they would part soon, and was clearly sad about that. Max rolled his head to look at her, seeing her eyes sparkling, and grew concerned. 'Maria, what's wrong?' he asked, desperately suppressing the urge to brush her hair off her face and shoulders.

Flicking her eyes up to his, she dropped them just as fast; an uncomfortable turmoil festering in her stomach and mind. 'I don't want this to end - I've loved being with you and Chrissy.' Max rolled back over to stare into her silky eyes. 'I've also… fallen in love with you.' Max grimaced.

'I'm old, sick, bald, probably sterile, got a criminal record and…' he stalled when Maria placed the pad of her index finger on his lips to silence him.

Tired of his procrastinating and throwing obstacles in their path, she countered his list with, 'You're _not _old, you're distinguished. You're not sick any longer, you _survived_. Your hair _will _grow back but I like bald - its sexy. You may well be sterile but I'm barren anyway, so…' Max felt his heart crumble for her knowing that; he thought she would have made an incredible mom one day. But knowing that did breakdown the last concern he had for a relationship with her. 'And the criminal record thing I can live with - it gives you character and makes you interesting to me. So stop trying to _push _me away for my own good, Max. The heart wants what the heart wants - and mine wants you.' Maria then slipped her leg over his, feeling his body stutter nervously. Max watched her eyes darken as she straddled his thighs. She leant down, and brushed her lips across his seductively, saying, 'The question is: does your heart want me?' Gulping, Max knew it was now or never, so he nodded, feeling her roll around sensuously on his thickening groin. It was clear that part of him wanted her too. Maria's smile broadened when his hands slipped to her buttocks, but barely touched her. 'Umm,' she purred, feeling his first intimate touch; it thrilling her. 'That's good to know. Then I propose we make love now before Christine wakes and because tomorrow - you'll feel like crap.' Max grinned, then chuckled.

'Ha! This'll be a deal breaker then for sure,' he said self-deprecatingly of his bedroom skills. Unperturbed by his warning, Maria matched his powerful smile, then sharply claimed his lips and body as her own…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Interpol HQ**

**Lyon**

**France**

"_Err. Qui, Bonjour. J'apelle, Agent Genny Shaw a la FBI_." Thierry grinned, and slumped back in his chair, coveting the stunning Agent struggle with her poor French via the Skype connection. He decided to put her out of her agony, although he thought her riotous blush adorable and worth prolonging.

'Hello, Genny. Thanks for getting back so soon.' Genny visibly sagged with relief that she didn't have to blunder through her first and only year of French, which charmed Thierry. She cracked a smile, and looked up from the script she'd been reading from, and into his eyes. Then boom, something exploded in her head akin to a firework, as she gaped open her mouth when she registered his lips-smacking smile. The first she wanted to say was: _stand up, turn around - so I can check out your butt_, just to make sure he was as delicious from behind as he was from the front. She nervously tucked her hair behind her ear, and crossed her legs, trying to act cool and collected. But unfortunately as she crossed her legs, her knee smacked the underside of the desk and made her eyes water with the pain it caused.

"_Shit!" _she barked, rubbing it. Thierry bellowed with laughter.

'HA!' Then quickly stilted it, seeing her wound with her eyes. 'Oh. Sorry, Genny a la FBI, are you ok?'

"_Yes, yes I'm fine," _she lied curtly, surreptitiously wiping the blood off her hand on her skirt: having no tissues to use. She barrelled on with a violent shade of puce on her cheeks, "_You left a message to contact you about the name of the deceased ghost bank accounts you were tracing for us."_

'Yes. Umm. Are you sure you're ok?' Genny nodded her head to dismiss his concern, and peered into the screen, trying to regain her composure although her knee was throbbing and dripping blood down her shin. Thierry continued, 'I had a message left me last night from a facility's director in Pochep, Russia, which raised an alarm here.'

"_Really, what kind of facility?" _Genny queried, secretly reaching under the table to put pressure on the cut.

'I'd rather not say at this point but something cropped up when we checked the person we're concerned about.'

"_Go on," _she encouraged.

"The person's _father _was one of the names that you had us look into. He had died of cancer some years ago. So I thought you should know.'

"_Well, that's not much help, is it - if you're not prepared to explain the connection? I must stress the importance of full co-operation between our Agency's, Mr Thierry." _Thierry smiled charmingly at her snobby attitude and attempt to intimidate. He nestled nearer to the computer screen, clearly not in the slightest bit intimidated. Genny instinctively settled back a little, and swallowed secretly.

'Thierry is my first name - my last is Henry.' Genny looked perplexed, but naughtily moistened by his devastatingly sexy accent.

"_Like the soccer player?" _Thierry nodded slowly, surprised she knew of the European footballer.

'I don't play football and although we share the same name and skin colour that is where our similarities end.'

Caught up in his eyes, Genny wickedly fantasised. "_Oh. I don't know - you're as good looking as him,_" Genny waffled, then wanted the ground to swallow her up for her off guarded comment. Thierry saw that beautiful blush again, and smiled egoless but undoubtedly flattered she thought him handsome. "_Anyway, why are you being so vague?_"

Thierry sat back again, and broke eye contact for the first time. He patted his silver pen tip on his blotter, clearly thinking about his next move. 'This is a very delicate situation. I _can _tell you we are tracing this man with all expediency due to the nature of the fluid situation. He has no criminal record but suddenly came into a huge amount of money which we're very suspicious of. We haven't been able to trace where the money came from.' Genny cocked a brow, forgetting all about her throbbing knee now. 'Several million Euros were deposited into his bank then he walked out of his job without a word and left his small apartment as is. We've tracked him as far as Hamburg, Germany. He has a sister and mother who told us he's also suffering from thyroid cancer - they haven't seen him in several years, and say he took the death of his father very hard. Apparently he blamed the authorities for his death.'

"_Which authorities?"_

Thierry said softly, 'The Russian authorities.' Genny shrugged, still flapping in the wind, writing notes on her pad. But she looked up, and froze when something made a connection in her mind.

"_The other names we asked you to check where scattered all over Europe at the time of their deaths but where did they hail from originally?"_

Thierry smiled, impressed by her. 'They all were born in western Russia or worked in its surrounding countries.'

"_Ok, what's this guys name and age?"_

Thierry turned stony faced, 'Agent Shaw, this line isn't secure enough for that information to be passed between us. Come to Europe and I can give you your answers personally.'

"_Excuse me, Lyon - France? You __**are **__joking, right?"_

"No, I'm not. Meet me in Hamburg and we can work the case together.'

Still thinking he was toying with her, she suggested playfully, 'How about you come here I can show you the sights?'

'Ok. But after we've got to the bottom of this,' he said with a suave grin, then turned serious, informing, 'I've already spoken to the Director of the FBI. He's authorised you to travel. Your ticket is booked for the next flight out from DC.' Genny's jaw dropped in disbelief. With a stunning smile, Thierry ended the call with, 'I'll meet you in the bar of The Eclipse at eleven tonight - have a safe flight, Genny.'

Genny's connection cut off with a long buzz. Unblinking, she could only just stare at the screen with her mouth agape…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! **

**Jack & Ange's Estate**

**Buttercup Meadow**

'Hey, look at me world - I'm a cowboy!' Booth blithely hollered to the sky above their heads, full of pride for his accomplishment. Bones sniggered from behind him, with her arms wrapped around his shirtless torso. Riding bareback together, with Booth controlling their sweating-up gelding, was a delicious earthy treat, Bones mused. She hadn't felt this weightless for as long as she could remember, and loved the giddy sensation of the endorphin rush she was experiencing. If she had a soul, she suspected it would be soaring right now. With a smile she couldn't shift nor wanted to, she nestled her cheek on his shoulder, and held his moist, tanned torso a little tighter. He felt her settle against him, and rested his head back on her with an equally elated smile shining off his face. 'Can ya love a cowboy in chaps?' he said being all sentimental and tender.

'I'd love you in anything, or _as _anything,' she retorted into his ear, then sealed her promise with a kiss to his cheek. Booth turned his head, and sought her lips, and smooched her softly on a hum. 'Christine is going to come home soon, Booth,' she confirmed softly, holding him closer into her, while caressing his chest. 'This is the first time a truly believe that. I can cope with anything now having seen them.' Booth nodded, thrilled she was opening up with him.

Remembering the wonderful clips Parker had spliced together for them, Booth asked with a buoyant smile, 'Did you catch the look on her face when you walked into the nursery while I was cuddling her?' Nodding, Bones pecked a brace of kisses along the top of his shoulder. 'You two have an _amazing _unbreakable bond -,' he reassured, 'trust me, as soon as she sees you again, _pow_, it'll be like before.' She nibbled his earlobe, making him shiver, and purr.

'I adored the clip when we were laughing and dancing around the kitchen - it's clear she loves her crazy Daddy with a passion -,' then she oozed sexily into his ear, 'just like me.' Smiling hard at one another, then they kissed again. Booth blew out his steam, and tried to concentrate on not slipping off the back of the chestnut they were riding.

'You're doing very well, Booth, but I think we should try a trot now - walking is basic horsemanship.' She nestled her chin on his shoulder again, and instructed, while running her hands down his chap-covered thighs, 'Grip with your knees, gather the reins a little tighter - then tap his flanks with your heals.'

'Ok,' he said nervously, doing as gently instructed, but noting her leaving her palms on his upper thighs which distracted him slightly. They began to trot on. Bones rode with the horse's undulations but he bounced about unevenly which nudged them closer together. Losing his smile, he mumbled, 'Oh. Uncomfortable. Don't like it.'

Bones laughed, then instructed again, 'You just need to relax and trust, Rooster.' Booth snorted at her John Wayne - True Grit reference. 'Let your body get in sync with him.' Booth felt her hands drift up to his hips, and hold them, then applied pressure to rock them in time with the horse. 'Relax and ride with him. That's it - sit into him.'

'You're distracting me, Bones - and turning me on a little.' He glanced to his shoulder, and flicked a brow high. Bones had already caught that, and found herself in a similar state.

She purred, with steam virtually rising off her corneas, 'Umm. It's like making love - when we get into that mutual rhythm it feels so right.' That comparison drew an utterly saucy growl from him, and he playfully pretended to bite her. Then she did something that made his shorts plump between his open thighs: she licked up a trickle of sweat than was running down his neck, while cupping his bulge and squeezed.

'Crap, Bones, on top of this horse?' he asked, seeing the naughty intention in her eyes.

'Have you ever climaxed at speed?' she asked sultrily. Without waiting for a reply, she squirreled her hand under the material of his shorts, and wrapped around his shaft. Booth couldn't speak; he had way too many things to concentrate on at once; staying on top of the horse being one of them. As she began to jerk him off, she kicked on hard, and jeered, 'Y'AAH!' The horse took off with a clatter of hoofs, and began to gallop, thickening him too. Its mane tossed; muscles pumped, and his clipped coat glistened as it pounded through the sun-drenched, shimmering meadow.

'OH - _JESUS_!' Booth bellowed, clinging tight to the reins, and with his knees. It was reckless; dangerous, fast, and utterly unbidden, inevitably heightening their senses and arousal.

Bones held him to her chest, while her hand slid up and down on his scolding shaft like a turbocharged piston. Booth gasped, then growled through his gritted molars, feeling the horse's spine ripple against his sweet spot under his scrotum, and slammed his eyes shut to the torturous bliss. This gave new meaning to horse power, Booth thought, but not for long as all lucid thoughts began to melt away in a golden blur.

Bones clamped him safe with one arm, with the fresh musky scent of his perspiration in her nostrils, feeling her own sexual tension build with the blistering pace of the animal throbbing between her legs. She barely registered anything other than them meshed together and the glorious connection between her sanguine mind and sizzling core.

Hearing him reaching his blazing crescendo; feeling his ribbed sex in her tight fist, and the delectable rub of her denim shorts tight on her clitoris, and the speed of their flight: the predictable finally happened. 'I'm-come-coming,' she panted over the thunder of their hearts, hoofs and the rumble of the scorched earth under them.

That surprising message was Booth's trigger. An elongated wail of relief escaped his throat that got louder and louder making the horse reach its top speed for a short burst, 'ArrrAAHH!' He heard her cry out with him as he erupted violently. The world flashed by around them as an indistinguishable mirage, while the white light of euphoria blinded them in mutually ecstasy.

The exhausted horse began to slow; unable to give anymore. Panting fast with the rapid swell of its flanks and nostrils, it came to a gradual halt. Sweat drenched its coat as well as its slumpedriders.

'Fucking _insane_,' Booth muttered, his dripping chest heaving, lolloping about like a rag doll. He couldn't believe what they'd just done and that they survived. Easing her hand out of his shorts, Bones laid back over the horse's haunches, with eyes closed, catching her breath.

'Yes, but in-cred, incredible,' she panted heavily, then started to chuckle, hanging her arms out either side of the horse in complete surrender to the delicious elements and sensations she was awash with.

He glanced over his shoulder to her, chastising softly, 'You could've gotten us _killed_.'

Bones opened her eyes to look at him, and explained with soul, 'No - that brought me back to life…' Moved, Booth grinned, then reached for her hand. She let him pull her up, then kissed her deeply, while their ride ambled back towards its paddock and stable: knowing the way. Engrossed in one another they missed the glint of sunlight reflected off a pair of high-power binoculars trained on them from a distance…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Inside Caroline's Clunking Car**

**En Route**

'Doesn't this relic have air-con?' Andrew asked, feeling squashed and decidedly moist. Caroline flared her nostrils at him, then concentrated on the road ahead. Hacker wound down the squeaky window, shifting in his seat to get a little more comfortable, asking, 'Where we going?'

'You sound nervous - are ya?'

'Yes. Only because you're driving like an old woman. You can break forty on the Interstate, you know?'

'My car, my rules. We'll be there in five. Suck a mint or something,' she blanched, flapping her hand towards them in the glove box. Hacker opened it, and picked out a suckie sweet, noting she had a small calibre weapon in there too. She glanced to him, and rested her arm on the window frame, trying to look relaxed about it.

'Do you have a licence for that?'

'Yes!' she barked, clearly affronted.

'Ever fired it?'

'I will in a minute! Sit quiet, I'm concentrating.' Hacker grinned, and sucked on his candy. Moments later she turned off the Interstate, and swung the car sharp left under it, then put her foot down. Hacker glared at her, and pulled his seatbelt tight across his chest as a precaution, knowing the car didn't even have airbags as it was so ancient. He noted she kept checking her rear view mirror for following vehicles, and weaved through the country lanes till she swung into a rest-stop tucked inside a wood at speed. She turned off the engine, and got out. Hacker followed her lead quickly. She pounded through the trees along a leafy path under the high, quietly rustling trees.

Suddenly she looked around, and came to softly panting halt. Hacker asked, 'Ok - we're can't be heard - what's with the Bonnie and Clide routine?'

'Apricot are _not _kosha or on our side. They're working for the NSA. That commander is a plant - he's reporting back…' she paused, seeing Hacker drop his eyes, and nod to agree. 'You _know_?'

'Yes. I've called in a few of my own favours to find out what's going on. It wasn't hard.'

'Did you know that they are tailing me?' Hacker didn't look surprised, so she knew he suspected as much. 'They're bugging me too.' Hacker nodded to confirm. 'I found one suck on my toilet light bulb for Christ's sake! What do they wanna know, how often I shit?' Hacker grinned.

'I'm being bugged too, and I suspect all of us _above _ground. The Booth's and Jack and Ange are safe for now though.' Caroline huffed, that not sitting well with her, in fact, incensing her.

Ripping a candy bar from her purse, she sneered, 'I don't like this _Flynn _guy, he gives me the collywobbles.' Hacker smiled, looped his arm through hers, and walked her on. She glared at him, snagging her head back, taking a large bite from her chocolate bar. Hacker just ignored her expression and comfort eating.

'Flynn is mine - ours. You're gonna have to trust me on that.'

'I don't trust _anyone_.' Caroline calmed, then lowered her tone to confess, 'I also know that the NSA have been tracking Pelant for much longer than we have.' Hacker lost the last of his smile, and came to a halt, slightly surprised how well informed she was but didn't show it on his face. He looked up into her eyes, seeing her waiting for his reply.

When she didn't get a reply, she dropped what she thought was her bombshell, 'Did you read in the papers that Pelant's nutty professor at MIT, Rebecca Liskov, has gone missing? They're saying she's had a psychotic break or some such garbage.'

Hacker sighed, and walked her on again, as he said, 'We can't worry about Liskov now - we won't find her.' Caroline gesture with her hands her incredulity at his statement, then she read between his lines.

'Oh. My, God, the NSA are using her to crack it, aren't they? They've _kidnapped _her?'

Hacker said diplomatically, 'I suspect _borrowed _is a more appropriate term. Look, Caroline, I'm working both sides in this and trying to keep everyone safe.'

'Safe?'

'Yes, safe. So are the NSA, they're just using different, _vigorous _tactics.'

'What are we talking here: Booth and Bones safe, the FBI, or..?' Deliberately mute, Hacker stopped walking, hanging his head. The chilling silence spoke volumes for her, and dropped her candy back in her purse. Caroline felt her full stomach lurch violently upwards in an attempt to empty itself…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Jack & Ange's Estate**

**Stable **

With a hand-full of fresh straw Bones was wiping down their gelding clean of sweat. She heard water running, and looked over her shoulder. Booth chaps and wrung out shorts were hanging over the stable partition between them. 'Boooooth, what are you _doing_?' Bones asked with an incredulous air, but trying not to laugh at him. He'd stripped bare and was currently standing in the next empty stable with a hose in hand, pouring water over himself from head to toe. He beamed at her with a dreamy expression as the cool water splashed over him. In a playful mood, he placed his thumb over the end of the hose pipe, and sprayed her with the sprinkled flow. 'W'ahh! Stop that!' she chastised, ducking down to avoid the spray but didn't mean it.

He sniggered, then continued to dowse himself with the refreshing water, 'No one can see us. You made me sticky and sweaty - I'm just washing off.' Bones returned to wiping down the horse who was slurping from a bucket of water, and grinned.

'You made yourself sticky - its your ejactulate,' she remarked, still buzzing inside from that encounter.

Resting his arms on the stable partition, he peered over, with a consummate smile. 'Would ya rub me down like that?' Bones froze, then stood straight slowly, and turned to face him. He flickered his brow suggestively to confirm his slightly bizarre request. Then he had a another even better thought, seeing the bridle hanging just below his hand. He walked into her stable, holding his hand out, saying, 'Come here.' She dropped the handful of straw, and walked over, wiping her hands, with a teasing smile on her lips, and dancing in her eyes. He puckered up for her to kiss his lips which she did, lacing her fingers of both hands with him. Still kissing, he turned her, and gently edged her back to the stable wall. Slowly he lifted her arms above her head, deepening their kiss, she didn't resist, loving that he'd got his mojo back now as had she. Then she heard the emotive swish of leather, and caught the scent of saddle soap in her nostrils, and felt a warm strap evocatively twist around her wrists. She snapped open her lecherous eyes, seeing a glint in his eye and his wet, tight body glistening. He never fell from her eyes when he secured her to the stable wall amid their quickening breathing.

Bones felt her heart rate treble with excitement and the warm leather creek, trickling her eyes down his ripped torso to his cock that throbbed hard and bold. Bones practically swooned with that raunchy image, knowing what he had in mind and was halfway to the dirty divine already. The horse whinnied, and stamped the bed of straw but they didn't take any notice; already deep in the zone.

'Comfortable?' he asked, pushing her shorts down to her knees, her hungry eyes following him down.

She didn't bother to reply. With knees trembling, her core quaking, she panted - part begged shamelessly, 'Put your chaps on, _just _your chaps.' Eyes as dark as coal and just a hot, Booth grinned hard and wide. He burgled a kiss from her lips again, as he ripped the chaps from off the partition with a seductive crack…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**A/N: **Wooboy. *Fans self* I do love a little equestrian fun… Err-hum. Moving quickly on: Who's watching them - friend or foe? Will Jack crack Max's code in time and has Ange found a way into Pelant's before the NSA? What will Genny discover in Hamburg? Find out the answers to these and more questions in the next instalment of Pelant. Comments are always welcomed. Bless you for all the ones so far. Hugs, Lebxeb. XX.


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: **All characters portrayed here are fictional. No infringement of rights intended. Bones & its characters are a product of Fox Inc. & not mine. No financial gain is received from this work of fiction.

**Summary: **Pelant's code is close to being cracked. The Team are on a razors edge as the pressure mounts. "Nothing is what it seems…" - Seeley Booth.

**Rating: M **

**Pelant**

**Chapter XXIV**

**The Eclipse Bar**

**Hamburg**

Thierry sipped his chilled Stella Artois, looking towards the entrance of the bar, then checked his watch again. Genny a la FBI was running late and he was anxious but knew her plane had landed. He called the bartender over, and ordered a Pinot spritzer in anticipation of her imminent arrival. As it was delivered he saw her rush into the bar, and scan it with a small case in her hand. He thought she looked stressed and notably dishevelled, although that didn't detract from her prettiness, he thought; only making her look cuter.

Thierry stood, and waved her over with a welcoming smile. Spotting him, she thought he looked even more spectacular in the flesh. Slightly nervous, she weaved through the small crowd, and placed her case on the floor. 'Hi, you made it then?' he said, offering her his hand. She smiled hard into his smooth chocolate eyes, and took it to shake but was surprised, when very European-like, he also kiss both her cheeks. They flushed rapidly as she kissed him back, feeling her butterflies go crazy, catching the expensive musk of his aftershave.

'Yes, finally. There was a delay. Oh. God, is that for me?' she asked, seeing the cool glass of wine on the bar. He nodded, pulling up a stool for her, then waited for her to settle on it before he sat again. Immediately Genny picked it up, and glugged it down, still a little flustered.

Grinning hard he watched her, then said, 'Sorry to rush you but things have moved on rapidly while you've been in the air. We have to speak to someone _tonight_.' Genny gawped at him, her ears still not having popped since she got off the aircraft. 'Have you eaten?' Genny shook her head, almost draining her wine glass with a smack of her lips.

'I get air sick so I don't eat on planes.' Thierry lost his smile, feeling sorry for her. Seeing him look concerned, she smiled warmly. 'I'm ok, I just have to take a pill. My Son is the same.'

'You have a child?' he asked with a tentative grin, surreptitiously looking for a ring. She nodded fast.

'Ar-ha. Danny, he's just two,' she told him proudly, with a sparkle in her eyes. 'He's with my Mom at the moment so I didn't get to say goodbye.'

Thierry lost his smile completely, feeling dreadful for snatching her away from home. But he enquired, careful not to sound too interested in her domestic arrangements, 'Oh. Your partner couldn't look after him?'

Knowing he was probing, Genny grinned, then leant in to him a little to whisper, 'I'm a single Mom.' Thierry smiled, relieved she was unattached. 'His Dad is - actually, I don't know where he is, and I don't care. He's trouble with a capital T.'

Feeling very relaxed with her, he shared a little of his own background, 'I have a daughter, she's three and _gorgeous_,' he preened, then informed with his eyes trained on the contents of his glass, 'Unfortunately her mother, my wife, died of complications after her birth.' Genny quickly placed her hand on his forearm, rapidly losing her smile.

'Oh. God, I'm _so _sorry, Thierry,' she said with sincerity.

He looked to her hand on his arm, then into her eyes, and smiled, 'Thank you, Genny a la FBI.' Genny sniggered at his sweet teasing and for lifting the mood again.

'So, tell me what's happened,' she asked, moving them forwards. Thierry blew out, and rubbed his palms up and down on his jean-covered thighs. He looked around the bar, then picked up her case. Genny stood as he did.

'Let's get you checked in, then we can talk.' She nodded, swigged the remnants in her glass, and followed him to the reception.

Once in her room, Thierry placed her case on the bed just as she closed the door. He started to open up immediately, 'The man we're interested in is called Nikolay Pudofski. He's thirty one and Belarusian. We traced him to here - this hotel, where he spent two nights. One alone, the other with a travel agent called Helga, who works on the boulevard. She's the person we're going to interview.' Genny nodded, emptying her case of her wash bag, and walked into the bathroom to deposited her things. Thierry sat on the bed, watching her potter about, while he continued, 'Our tech supports went through the email and messaging accounts he had on his old computer - which he left in his apartment…' Thierry deliberately paused.

'_And_…?' Genny urged him to continue, sitting on the bed too with open case between them, searching his eyes for clues to end the puzzle.

Thierry took a deep breath, then said with solemnity, 'He was in contact with several people of like minds and formed a kind of action group which was suppressed by the Russian authorities in early two thousand. These aggrieved people exchanged their stories and woes on a regular basis. Just over half of them matched the names of the ghost bank accounts you're interested in.' Genny knew that meant Pelant's message was definitely linked to this Nikolay character and what he was planning. 'But what interests us the most is, over the years Nikolay tried and failed to get compensation for his dieing father from the Russian authorities, because he believed his father's cancer was caused when he was in the fire service.'

Genny ran the numbers, then posed, 'Asbestosis?' Thinking that may have caused his cancer as it had been documented in the past that firemen and plumbers, due to the nature of their work, came into contact with that dangerous carcinogen. Thierry shook his head.

'No.' Then the fragrant, handsome Frenchman dropped his bomb, 'Nikolay's father was one of the fireman that was ordered - sent to help put out the fires that raged during the Chernobyl meltdown…'

Winded, Genny flopped flat to the bed, saying, 'Hoooly _shssit_…' Her mind blitzed the possibilities of what that meant. She knew Pelant had contacted people with grudges to bare and gave them an outlet to express them: or expose those that tried to hide the truth, that was chilling her marrow. She mused that the money Interpol couldn't trace was more than likely from Pelant in payment for what he required from Nikolay for his next act. A dieing Nikolay had nothing to lose and this was his way to get back at someone, anyone, for the apparent injustice done to his father. Then Thierry added, as Genny stood up, and agitatedly paced ahead of him, 'We got hold of Nikolay's medical records - he lived in Belarus as a child at the time of Chernobyl and contracted thyroid cancer from drinking contaminated milk and water, like many others did.'

'Hold up - how can that be? There was an evac zone, still _is_, but not in Belarus.'

'The nineteen mile evac zone didn't matter or help, Genny. What many people don't realise is _sixty _percent of the most dangerous isotopes fell on Belarus, carried there on the prevailing winds.'

Genny came to a sobered standstill, remarking, 'This is a _fucking _nightmare.' Thierry nodded slowly in total agreement with her. Then she asked but not really wanting to know the answer, fearing it, 'The facility Nikolay worked at - is it a _nuclear _facility?'

'For reasons of security I can't confirm that - I'm sorry, Genny, you haven't got clearance.' Genny gritted her teeth, and turned away from him with fists clenched in frustration. Thierry went on sympathetically, 'But I _can _tell you -,' Genny turned around again, with eyes widening as he divulged, 'Nikolay stole _something _from that facility - then got on a cruise liner heading _west _across the Atlantic two days ago…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Following AM**

**Jack & Ange's Suite**

Ange rolled, waking to two little hands playing with her hair. She opened her eyes, and smiled at Michael who squealed, clearly delighted she was awake. 'Ma-ma,' he cooed, crawling over her to give her a cuddle.

'Morning, Sweetness. Where's Da-da then?' Michael didn't answer but began bouncing on her stomach on his bottom as she held his hands. Suddenly there was a tap on her door, and she called out brightly, 'Come in!'

Bones opened the door, carrying a breakfast tray, and sporting an _I-got-laid _smile that Ange easily read. 'Hey-hey, I know that _look_,' she teased, sitting up with Michael on her lap.

Bones laughed softly, placing the try on the bed beside her. 'Yes - yesterday was eventful and we resolved a few issues between us.'

'I can see that, and I'm glad, Sweetie. We knew you'd two would work out the crinkles.' Bones hummed a little shyly, still grinning. 'This is a treat - breakfast in bed,' she remarked, just as Bones took hold of Michael, and began playing with him affectionately. Ange watched her interact with him, unencumbered with her emotional baggage and fear that being with him hurt too much when her arms ached for her own child. With the certainty that Christine was coming home and seeing her well at the Olympics had turned her sorrow into joy.

'Eat up, you missed dinner last night - Jack's worried about you. I told him I'd make sure you ate it,' she explained, blowing into Michael's belly, making him chuckle loudly. 'I'm going to help you with the code - after you've eaten and showered.'

'You're _supposed _to be resting.'

'I'm _fine_, Ange, honestly,' Bones assured, then moved on quickly, 'Jack said you made some progress last night.' Ange nodded, chewing her cornflakes. 'That's _excellent _news. Oh. Genny's gone to Hamburg to meet up with Interpol.' Ange stopped chewing, and swallowed her shock. 'They have a lead on one of those names from the bank accounts.'

'Brilliant.' Bones nodded to agree. 'How's Sweets?'

'I don't think he's up yet - I haven't seen him.' Bones shrugged, still messing happily with Michael. 'Booth's with Parker in the gym - although Booth had quite a workout yesterday.' Ange cocked a brow, curling her lips into a raunchy smile Bones missed. 'And Jack is trying to work out Wormwood and those postcards.'

Nudging her, Ange asked, eager to know, 'So, spill, Girlfriend, how was it?' Bones snorted softly, knowing she wanted details.

'Very stimulating.' Ange sagged, wanting more, so kindly Bones elaborated, 'Sweaty; fast at times, involved leather, water, chaps - _and _straw, oddly enough,' Bones beamed, recalling, then informed fondly, 'It wasn't making love but it was somewhere in between.'

'Sexy fun - just what the Queen of the Underworld ordered then?' Bones smiled broadly. She got off the bed with Michael in her arms, walking towards the drapes, and drew them. It was another spotless day and already the mercury was rising fast as it had for most of the summer. Mulling on a nagging thought, Ange asked, 'I hate to bring ya down, Bren, but - do you think Ethan knew what Pelant was planning?'

Bones looked over her shoulder towards her, obviously contemplating that question. 'I don't like to speculate but in this case my instinct is telling me, yes - he did. Otherwise why would he create that pyramid of symbols to bamboozle us if not to hide what he knew from Pelant as well?'

'Umm. Makes sense.'

'What's more I think Max cracked Ethan's code before he left with Christine. The postcards and messages obviously point towards prior knowledge of what is to come. I've had many weeks to contemplate why he took Christine. He didn't need to, she'd been in care and well looked after, and Booth or Pop's could visit her if she stayed. But I'm starting to think Max felt he _had _to take her away - to protect her from what Pelant is planning.' Then Bones added with a thoughtful timbre, 'He took her as far away from the DC as he could when he could've hidden out in the US somewhere, like he'd done successfully for years before.'

'Oh. God, I never thought of it like that.'

'I didn't think of it, or at least, _seriously _consider it, until Wormwood contacted Booth again and he raised the possibility with me. And now we know Apricot is working for the NSA and that Professor Liskov has disappeared, the one person alive, _apart _from you, that could break the code, my suspicions are solidified. Everyone involved believes he's planning an attack that will shock, terrify and cause great suffering.'

Staring at her carefree Son, and needing him to stay that way, Ange took a deep determined breath, then slung off the sheets. She stood naked, and announced, 'Then we better get our butts in gear and crack this _mother.._.' Then she stomped off into the bathroom on a mission. Bones watched her go, then grinned at Michael toying with her loose hair.

'You're very lucky to have such a wonderful, clever Mommy,' she told him, then kissed his chubby cheek.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Helga's Apartment**

**Hamburg**

**Germany**

'He was _very _nice,' Helga understated, clearly nervous though, Genny thought. 'He told me he won the Euro Lottery and that he was sick with cancer. He wanted to go to America on a boat, so I booked the trip for him - first class. I don't know anything else,' she tagged on too quickly. Genny nodded while grinning pleasantly.

Thierry sipped his coffee quietly, letting Genny do the questioning as she seemed to have an affinity with the young woman whereas Helga seemed intimidated by him. He observed Genny sitting next to Helga on her couch, and took mental notes.

'We understand that you shared dinner in the restaurant of his hotel the night before he drove to St Malo?' Helga twitched awkwardly, sipped her coffee while nodding. Genny caught her flick her eyes to Thierry, and realised she was nervous about disclosing more than what she already had, so Genny looked to Thierry. 'Could you top up my coffee, Thierry - thanks.' She held up her half empty mug for him to take, offering him a sweet smile. He got up happily, took the mug, then disappeared into the small kitchen.

Once out of sight Genny went on gently, 'Helga, you're not in any trouble, I hope you understand that?' Helga nodded. 'But I'm getting the sense you know a _little _more about Nikolay than you're telling us. For example, we also know when you finished dinner - you went up to his suite.'

Discovered, Helga sagged, and dropped her eyes into the remnants of her mug, then said quietly, 'Yes. We spent the night together.'

'I understand - he's a good looking man.' Helga grinned to confirm. 'Its nothing to be ashamed of. You're both single, of age, and attracted to each other.' Helga looked up into her understanding eyes, and nodded. 'Did you protect yourself?'

Helga grinned harder, then divulged girlishly, 'We _ran _out of condoms.' Genny sniggered, and settled back to the couch, and crossed her legs casually, acting as if she was gossiping with a girlfriend.

'Wooow -,' Genny purred, sounding very impressed, 'must have been one _hell _of a night. You must have got pretty close after sharing a _wild _night of passion, swapped numbers or something, at least.'

Helga fell into her trap without hesitation or knowledge, 'Oh. _Yeah_ - we swapped numbers and stuff.' Genny grinned, not reacting. 'Then we said goodbye in the parking lot.'

'With my luck with good looking men he wouldn't call just to make me feel cheap.' Thierry grinned out of sight, hearing that.

'Oh. Nik's called me _loads _and texts me - he's having a _great _time! He can't wait to reach Cuba.' Genny lost her smile a tad. Helga then realised what she'd done.

'Cuba - why Cuba, Helga?'

Helga's jaw slackened, then rushed to say, 'I don't know - he just said he _really _wanted to go there. I've been, so I told him all about it.'

'I see. This is very important, Helga -,' she nodded, 'when you spent the night with him, did you see anything in his cases or car that caught your attention?' Helga shook her head, clearly confused, so Genny clarified, 'A strong box, or metal container that looked suspicious or unusual?'

'No - no nothing. He had three cases. One scruffy checked one, but he bought new ones and left that in the suite before we left and a silver Samsonite that looked new.'

'Great, that's great, thanks, Helga. Anything else you can recall?' Helga sagged, then stared into her empty mug. 'What, Helga, any information you can give us would be…' she trailed off when Helga looked up into her eyes.

'When we were saying goodbye at the car, he got kinda angry - no, not angry, _distant _really.' Genny nodded for her to continue. 'I asked him to get some treatment but he told me it was too late for him. And that he had one last thing to do to avenge his father's death - the way he said it gave me a weird feeling.' Thierry hovered between the kitchen and lounge, resting on the wall, and listening intently. Genny spotted his reappearance, but didn't look over.

'Ok, Helga. Let's back up a bit, you've been swapping calls and text then?' Helga nodded. 'Great. We'd like you to continue to do that - you can even tell him we interviewed you and we're concerned about him. You can do us a great service here and possibly save many lives.' Helga swallowed hard. Genny smiled, saying softly, patting her arm, 'Nik obviously has made a connection with you and cares for you.' Helga blushed, but was pleased she thought so. 'You might be able to pursued him to give up on this crusade and give himself up to the authorities - then he could come back to you with no harm done. You want that, don't you?' Helga felt her stomach twist into knots, but she nodded that she did want that. 'We're going to need his number and yours. We will tap your calls to listen in and read your exchanged texts.' She pulled her phone out of her back pocket, and handed it to her unreservedly. 'Thanks, Helga.' Thierry took it from her hand, then sat down, looking through the contacts adding them to his cell. 'So, nothing else has come to you about what was in his car or cases?'

'Well,' Helga hesitated, and twisted her lips, not sure what to make of her memory. Thierry looked up, and narrowed his eyes.

'Please, Helga, _anything _you can recall could help us,' Genny urged.

Blushing again, she informed, 'In the morning, we shared a shower, but when I was drying off I picked up a can of deodorant he had in his wash bag. He _ripped _it out of my hand, and handed me another one. He said the Right Guard was for men and would make me smell like one.' Thierry and Genny, for the first time, exchanged looks of excitement, which they then suppressed. 'So I used another one he handed me. That brand was Sure. I didn't think anything of it at the time but…'

'No, that's _fantastic_, Helga, thank you, _thank _you very much for seeing us so late.' Thierry handed back her cell phone with a charming smile. She took it, and popped it back in her pocket. 'Get to bed now, and don't worry,' Genny instructed with a placatory smile, squeezing her hand. 'Remember what I said. We'll be in touch.' Genny followed Thierry to the door tailed by Helga. 'G'night.'

As Genny and Thierry trotted down the stairs and into the street, they came to a halt, and looked at one another. 'You were amazing with her, Genny a la FBI.'

Genny laughed, then paced along the street in the wrong direction in her zone, saying with purpose, 'We need to get to Cuba, Thierry…' He caught her arm, and eased her the other way, with a wry smile on his lips.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Bunker**

**Ange's Studio**

'I think you're right, Ange,' Bones said assuredly, staring at the spread of numbers Ange had up on the Angelator Mark II.

'There's only one way to find out,' Ange said, grimacing at her friend, with terror of failure rippling through her eyes. Bones nodded solemnly, with a sense of foreboding churning her stomach too. Ange crossed the room to another computer, and started tapping away, as she instructed, 'Lock the door.' Bones thought that was a peculiar request considering where they were, but didn't comment, just did as she was told. The tension in the air pumped up and closed their throats.

'This is an uncorrupted system I built myself - I wrote the program but added just one sealed file under password to simulate what systems might to infiltrated. I suspect his worm seeks out anything that is protected and breaches the firewall - so accessing the information within. Once it reads it, it transfers the information back to the host and then moves on. Obviously with just one isolated system it can't move on anywhere else. But in the Net and free, or connected to another computer, it can go anywhere its wants or is directed to go. I'm going to upload the DNA or what we _think _is his DNA and see what happens.'

'What do you think will happen?'

'Let's see, shall we?' Ange took a deep breath, and wirelessly transferred the DNA of the worm between her Angelator and fresh system. With one tap it was done, and they held their breaths. Moments later their eyes snapped to the left as the Angelator began to receive information and scroll it. Wilting, Ange said ominously, 'Oooh. Crap, that was fast…'

Surprised by her less that jubilant reaction, Bones asked curiously, 'Why do you say it like that? You were expecting it to break in. It means it _is _the code - you _cracked _it, Ange.'

'Yeah, but I put the very strongest firewall there is on that file, plus a few more tricks to block an attack, its stronger than the NSA use, NASA, banks, the military, you name it. It took a nanosecond to break in and transfer the information.'

'So, what does that mean?'

'It _means_, I know why everybody is after it now - its perfect and unstoppable.' Bones looked confused, so Ange explained with the gravity of a black hole. 'This is what I think has happened. Pelant sent a six digit line of code carrying a small program into the ether with one marker tagged on the end with a specific, singular instruction. The instruction was to infiltrate. The code was sent, to say, a bank. The code latched onto the firewall of this bank then began to attack it. It was so small and weak it was probably ignored - it will have failed, so it tried again, and again and again, until it made a chink in the armour. Then another line of code joined the first and helped it break in, do you get it?' Bones waggled her head, not sure but getting the principle though. 'Once through the wall it learnt, _literally _by trial and error, how to break down the security. It fed off the information then sent it back to his host computer. Pelant knew it worked when he got his first break in. And that's the beauty of it, the worm changed direction and sought out another firewall because it needed to _feed_, but the scary shit is, its wild, artificial intelligence - that's why it broke in so easily to my system. Its the culmination of all that information and power. It was easy for it to break in because it had learnt _so _much and grown so _big_. Pelant can't control it now - its everywhere. He directed it to do what it was designed to do, but not stop it. It gave him access to everything and all the secret information he ever wanted at his finger tips. Most of the information he discarded because it didn't serve his purposes. But the juicy stuff he kept and used.'

'What was he uploading though the books and DVD's then if it was already learning?'

'More instructions, go here, there, do this, do that: make cell phones ring with the sound of wolves…' Bones nodded she understood but Ange continued to elaborate and explained, 'It was a cascade - a pyramid. At the top: the first building block was the initial line of code, then it doubled in size when it made its first break in, and doubled _again_, but each time it _evolved _- so the security systems couldn't keep up with it or didn't recognised it. They were like dogs chasing their tails. By the time the techs blocked it or sealed up the hole the information was already stolen. The original tiny worm grew bigger with different objectives but the marker was the key that held the beast together, forming its own subnet within the Net.'

'I see. So it's likely there's been a conspiracy of silence by our governments to hide the fact.' Ange nodded. 'Other nations must be aware of it too.' Again Ange nodded solemnly. 'Do you think that's what your mother knew and why she arranged for that man to ask you for the code in exchange for the chrome case?'

'Yes. A country with no secrets has no leverage or protection. She was hoping to strengthen her position and protect her country's secrets - it'll give her great power and influence. But I suspect her main priority is more personal - to protect the secret of Leo.'

Ange picked up her tablet, and tapped a few keys, the screen dissolved to show a simulation of how the code worked. 'Look - I found this. Its an instruction to take fifty cents from every savings account, every checking account from a particular bank, not in one day, because that would be to obvious, but spread out over _months_.' Bones nodded. 'Most people wouldn't notice fifty cents had gone missing, would they? And even if they did and reported it to their bank, they would refund it thinking it a computer glitch. But how many ambivalent people would bother with the hassle of complaining it was only once? As the worm grew and spread world wide through the banking system the money accumulated and was sent to a specific Swiss account. At first it was a trickle - a few hundred dollars, then it became thousands, millions, _tens _of millions. Then it stopped abruptly.'

'Obviously - Pelant had enough for his purposes.'

'_Exactly_,' Ange confirmed.

'You're talking as if it's a animal without ethics, just living on instinct - attack, gorge, grow, move on. We have to find a way to kill it.'

'There isn't. I said its unstoppable, I meant it, Bren. Pelant said it himself, he said: _trying to make the system secure we make it more __**complex**__, but the more complex we make it - the more __**insecure **__we actually are.'_

'That maybe so, but anything can be killed or at least fundamentally damaged. Can you change its purpose - upload a kill command to cripple it - poison it somehow?' Ange grinned, and dropped a hip.

'Sweetie, don't you think we've tried that already?' Thinking on Bones' question though, one word resonated with her. Ange looked misty eyed as she slumped to the couch, and rubbed her throbbing brow. She looked out of the window towards the lake, and recalled a conversation she had recently walking around another similar lake. Bones watched her carefully in silence, as Ange said softly, 'My Mom told me something Leo said once, that everyone needs a _purpose _in life or its not worth living… What if we let it do what it was designed to do until there's nothing left for it to infiltrate?' Bones sat down now, and looked sceptical of her proposal. 'Instead of attacking it and trying to build walls to keep it out, maybe we should just let it in…'

'You're proposing complete surrender. That would be unthinkable to many people. I'm certain other countries would not sanction that either. Not only that, getting every company, government, telecommunications institutions, and military facilities to relax their security would be _impossible _to achieve world wide,' Bones warned.

Ange airily agreed with, 'Yes, yeah…' Then she said intriguingly, and with a tentative smile, 'But there is a way we could do it _without _needing anyone's agreement.' Bones' right brow drift north…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! **

**China**

**Laiynan**

**Private Retreat**

**Blue Dragon Lake & Pagoda**

Leo felt her sweet lips kiss the back of his neck, and her slip out of the silk sheet. He rolled to watch her as she slid the doors aside. Lin paused and turned, smiling as she said wistfully, 'A wonderful day again, Leo.' Then she walked naked along the deck towards the misted lake. He sighed softly, and fluttered his eyes close on an exhausted smile. He heard her splash into the cool water and start to swim off towards the pagoda on her usual morning trek. Sweet gentle bird song soon lulled him back to sleep.

Leo awoke a while later, fluttering his eyes open, with a sense of breakage inside him. He got out of bed, and walked to the deck edge, and peered through the mist towards the pagoda for her. A breeze picked up from his left, and the humid mist drifted off the cobalt water into the clumps of phoenix tail bamboo and disappeared. His heart stopped beating when he saw her face down, arms out and still, drifting with the ghostly mist. Agonised tears sprang to his eyes, and he cried out, 'No! _No!_' Sobbing his grief, he dived into the crystal water, and swam towards his love as fast as he could…

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**A/N: **A'aaww. Poor gorgeous Leo, poor Ange. Was Lin murdered or did her weakened heart just give out? Does Lin's death mean Ange will still have to hand over the code primmer? Will Genny and Thierry get to Cuba before Nikolay hands over Pelant's noxious prize? Or will it be Helga that persuades Nikolay to give up on his revenge? Discover these answers in the next chapters of **Pelant**. Reviews & comments always gratefully received Bones lovers. Hugs. Lebxeb. XX.


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer: **All characters portrayed here are fictional. No infringement of rights intended. Bones & its characters are a product of Fox Inc. & not mine. No financial gain is received from this work of fiction.

**Summary: **Pelant's code has been finally cracked but they aren't the only cracks to appear as the pressure mounts on the Team. "Nothing is what it seems…" - Seeley Booth.

**Rating: M **

**Thanks**: Yep, lots of that - busy writing so haven't got back to everyone yet. But I _will _do soon - promise. Thx again to all for commenting, you're all absolutely fabulous! XX

**Pelant**

**Chapter XXV**

**Cuba**

**Jose Marti International Airport**

**Havana**

Thierry gently woke Genny by brushing aside her hair from her face, and smiled, bewitched, as she focused her bleary eyes. Lifting her head off his shoulder, she jerked, shocked when the plane wheels screeched as they landed, and hurtled down the runway. The jetlag was biting hard, and screwing with her mind and time clock, so she asked, wiping her lips, 'Where are we?'

'Cuba.'

'Oh. Yes - Cuba.' She looked out of the window of the jet, seeing a cloudless sky. Then she looked at her watch but didn't understand what she was seeing. 'What time is it - no scratch that, what _day _is it?'

'Haa,' he laughed softly, unclipping his seatbelt. 'Local time is 08.00 hours.'

'Right- right,' she murmured, then shook her fuzzy head to clear it, with a blow out. 'Is the cruise ship still here?'

'Yes. Apparently its due to leave dock in two hours. While you were sleeping I've been receiving some messages,' he said ominously. Genny straighten in her seat, and nodded for him to continue. He handed his cell to her to read them, not wanting to say anything that could be overheard. Genny began to read the intercepted texts Helga and Nikolay had exchanged.

The first one was from Nik to Helga, it read: "_Cuba! Its beautiful, like U my sexy Helga. Have u missed me? XX _"

Helga's reply was staid: "_Good. Hope U like it_."

When reading his reply Genny knew Helga was backing off from him because he picked up something missing from her text. His response read: "_What's wrong? I thought you'd be happy 4 me?_"

"_Interpol R looking 4 U. They talked 2 me. What have u done? V Scared." _Thierry watched over her shoulder, seeing her lift a brow. 'He called her after that. Listen,' Thierry instructed. Genny pushed the relevant button, and held the cell to her ear, pensively staring out of the window as they taxied to the terminal.

**(( **"**Hello, Helga. Vhat did they say to you?"**

"They asked me about you - what we did - where you were going - why. I told them what I knew. _Please_, don't hurt anyone - they said you could hand yourself in, Nik, and it would be ok."

"**Oh. Helga. You don't understand, it's too late now. I must do dis."**

"No, you don't _have _to. If your Father knew he would be ashamed, I'm sure and try and stop you."

"**NO! He vould be **_**proud **_**I stood up for him!"**

"You're wrong, Nikolay, not like this. What would your Mother and _Sister _say? Have you told them?'

"**No - they vould not understand my anger. People **_**must **_**pay for vhat has been done to me and my family!"**

"What _people _- pay for what - _dieing_?! People die all the time and it's no ones fault! Do you know the people you're going to hurt? Or is it just everyone you're _bitter _with…?"

"**I'm not going to hurt anyone, Helga - **_**he **_**is."**

"And you think that makes it _alright? _… I thought you were a good man - a _kind _man. I cared for you - but you make that hard now and I'm so sad and scared… Now I know why you've been alone for so long… I have to go. Good bye, Nikolay."

"**No, wait, Helga! **_**Wait**_**! Once dis is done, I can call you again?"**

"No - don't text me either… *silence* - I hope Cuba is all you expected."

"_**Don't **_**go! I miss you, I'm so lonely, Helga. I vish you were here. *sniff* Vhat good is all dis money if I cannot share it? It means **_**nothing **_**to me now I'm, *sniff* I'm dieing."**

"Oh, Babe **- **Then use it to get _well _or give it away, if you really mean that**. **Do some _good _with it."

"…**I didn't vin the lottery, Helga, its stolen money."**

"…Then come back - give yourself up - make your family and _me _proud of you. Nikolay? _Nikolay_…?" **)) **Genny handed the cell back to Thierry.

'Phew… Emotional,' she remarked. 'I thought she did really well. Let's hope he listened.' Thierry nodded, following her down the fuselage and out of the door.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Bunker**

**Ange's Studio**

Bones looked over as the door buzzer went, Ange nodded for her to finally open it. She peered through the peep-hole, and smiled, then informed, 'Its Jack.'

He came in looking forlorn with Michael asleep in the carrier on his back. 'I hope you're doing better than me. I've got a _stinking _headache.' Bones grinned wide, and retook her seat next to Ange. Jack pecked Ange's cheek, and cuddled her from behind, resting his chin on her shoulder. 'So, how's it going?'

'She cracked it,' Bones said, making Jack stiffen, and beam. Moments later he squeezed his wife tight, and kissed her solidly on the lips.

'Awesome! I knew you'd do it - never doubted you, not for a second.'

Ange grinned, but lost it as she cautioned, 'Yeah, well, that's just the start. Bren and I are inside but…' Jack loved that she wasn't taking all the glory: that was her way; she saw them as a team and everyone brought their own strengths to the table.

Understanding her problem, Jack interrupted as she looked back to her tablet, 'Yeah, your dilemma: tell ya Mom or destroy it.'

'Oh. It's not as simple as that, Babe.' She curled her palm around his neck, and tilted her head back to look into his eyes. 'I _have _to give it to my Mom, as you well know. It's whether we tell them above ground that we have the key to unlock it.'

'Well, of course we should - they _need _to know.' Jack pecked her brow, certain they should.

Bones took over, 'Actually, it makes logical sense _not _to tell either of them yet. This is very dangerous technology, as we said before. There are very many interested parties scrambling to control it for their own agenda's and ambitions. At first I thought we should share it because it would work like a deterrent. If _all _sides control it then no one would be prepared to use it against the other because they might reveal something nobody wants made public. But Ange assures me it cannot be controlled.'

'So you're going to destroy it then…?' The girls exchanged glances.

'In a _way_,' Ange hedged. 'We're going to be passive aggressive and let it die a natural death,' she explained cagily, sneaking a look at Bones, who gave her one nod to confirm that was the plan they'd come up with.

'Riiiight,' Jack drooled suspiciously. 'And how are you going to make it do that?'

Ange elaborated, 'By giving it everything its always wanted. Therefore, eventually leaving nothing for it to feed on. Without purpose it will wither and die.'

'We know what the sticker is, so Ange is writing a program to attached to the original. We're calling it Jasper, its a piggy-back worm to upload which will shut down the Net for four or five minutes. _His _worm will infiltrate everything it hasn't already, but once it has, its over.'

'Sooo, let me get this straight, if Pelant's worm knows everything - it'll die?' The girls nodded to confirm. Jack gently threw a wrench into their dubious logic, 'So, _logically, _we should let it go on because eventually it will know everything and die anyway.' The girls smiled at one another, charmed by his naivety, and shook their heads. Jack snagged his head back, clearly not following.

Ange enlightened him, 'Everyone is trying to put up barricades and or attack it which is only keeping it _alive_, don't you see, Sweetie? The more we fight it the stronger it gets - it can't be beaten, not that way. And as Bren pointed out, we'd never get everyone to agree to shut down their firewalls and let it in. So we're going do it for them, unknowingly.'

'How the hell can you shut down the Net? I thought you said that was impossible?'

'I did, before I understood _this _worm. Its everywhere, Jack. Apricot is stalling finding, the megalomaniac: Pelant, because they consider this worm more important than what he's planning. And although lives are at stake in DC, that pales into obscurity if say, South and North Korea found out, via this worm, the launch codes for their nuclear weapons.'

Jack paled now. 'Oh. Shit, yeah. That would be bad.'

'Yes, very bad,' Ange confirmed dryly. 'The timing is crucial though. It will take a second to upload but Bren has been doing some fancy number work to figure out how long, approximately, it will take to spread through the subnet. Its grown huge so it's hard to judge but her educated guess _is_…' Ange gestured it was over to Bones with her hands.

'I don't enjoy guessing.' Their expression and body language resembled exasperation, so Bones added quickly, 'Ok - I calculate, _approximately_, depending on speed of transfer, unifix protocols, and servers, time of day etcetera, twelve hours, eight minutes, and a few seconds, eight, no, _ten _seconds,' Bones cutely corrected herself.

'Haaa. I love you, Sweetie, you know that, don't you?'

'Yes - I love you too,' Bones said ordinarily to Ange, then spoke again directly towards Jack, who was grinning for their cute girl-power routine, 'Once Jasper and the worm are fully spread out, Ange's program will kick in and the Net will go off line. Pelant's worm will get all it wants - then should start to die fairly rapidly once it has nothing left to infiltrate. I estimate we will need at least four minutes for it to die, plus one to be _absolutely _sure.' Ange and Bones grinned at each other, confident that they had their work sown up and just had to iron out a few wrinkles in Jasper.

'It'll be like rebooting the system but on a massive scale. When everything comes back online the firewalls and safety protocols will go up.'

'But what about the new information sent to the host - what happens to that? Pelant might still get hold of it.'

With a wry smile, Ange explained, 'I needed to know Jasper had worked so I simply changed the host location to the Angelator… Once the information stops coming in we'll know and _see _when it dies. The information will go straight to a shredder program.'

'Cool - what's the back up if it doesn't work?' Bones and Ange exchanged knowing glances again. 'Come on, Ange you _always _have back up plan.' Ange smooched his lips, staying coy. Bones grinned discreetly, slipping her gaze away from their loving kiss. Jack knew he wasn't going to get anymore from her so didn't pry; she obviously had her reasons not to tell him, he judged.

Now Ange turned her attention to his problems. 'So, you _still _haven't worked out the Wormwood thing?' Ange teased playfully, snuffling into Jack's neck. He huffed, and shook his head, caressing her shoulders.

'I'm seeing numbers in my sleep! It's driving me crazy.' They were interrupted by two things, one: Booth bounding in, and second: the phone ringing simultaneously. Booth wasn't a shock but the phone, that had never rang before, definitely drew a few questioning looks. Jack picked it up.

'Hello?'

"_Hello, Mr Jack. This is Leo. Is Miss Angela there?"_

'Yes, Leo - hang on.' Ange smiled with glee, delighted to here from him, and stood to take the call.

'Hi, Leo, how are you?'

"_Miss Angela, I have some very… very sad news." _They all saw Ange's smile set like the sun, and her swallow hard, as she stared into Jack's eyes. Booth made his way to Bones who knew something was terribly wrong, and held her around her waist as they watched Ange. "_You're beautiful mother has passed away."_

It took a few seconds for the terrible information to register in her brain, then Ange broke down in bits just like her broken heart, 'Oh. God, no, no. Oh, Leo - not now, not now…' Jack was around her in seconds like a blanket, seeing her knees buckle. He sat her back down, kneeling at her feet, holding her hand. They all ached for Ange and for Lin, knowing they had only just started to reconnect with one another and that joy had been cruelly snatched away. With eyes brimming, Bones looked into Booth's, then rested her brow on his chest, holding him tight around his waist. He rested his head on hers, in silent sympathy.

"_I'm so sorry. She went for her swim in the lake and her tender heart gave out. I tried to…" _Leo was in floods of tears too, so couldn't go on for a moment till he gathered himself. "_I, I have carried out all her requests and I know you cannot come to say farewell. But be assured, Miss Angela, she will never be alone again, nor shall I…_" Through her tears and grief Ange knew exactly what he meant, impotent to stop him, she dropped her head, squeezing Jack's hand hard.

'No, Leo, I have the code. She only wanted it so you could be free - you don't have to do this.' Thousands of miles away Leo rocked his liberated Lin in his arms, draped in cream silks, staring into her serene face. His harrowed tears dripped onto her cheeks like soft warm rain.

Always brief, Leo concluded, "_Don't worry about the code. Your debt has already been paid… I've sent you a letter. Good bye, Miss Angela…" _Ending the call_, _Leo then threw the cell into the lake ahead of him. He got up, and laid Lin carefully on a pyre of sandalwood and bamboo he created, surrounded by flickering candles in the pagoda. With tears streaming, he lit the pyre below her just as the sun began to set over the Blue Dragon Mountains in the distance. As the fuelled flames rose to engulf her and set her free from her gilded cage: without taking his eyes off her face, Leo climbed through them to lay with her, holding her close…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

Jack gathered Ange into his comforting embrace, weeping with her and for her. 'She's gone, Jack -,' Ange pined, 'so has Leo...' Bones and Booth heard, and understood that distressing comment. Feeling like they were intruding on this very private moment, silently, mutually they decided to leave.

Bones squatted down next to Ange, resting her hand on her shoulder. Ange looked up, with chin trembling. Wiping Ange's tears away, Bones gave her their sincere condolences, 'We're so sorry, truly sorry.' Ange released Jack, and hugged her friend tight. There wasn't much else they could say in words but the empathetic crushing hug was all that was needed for now. 'If you need us…' Ange nodded on her shoulder, then Bones stood.

'We'll take Michael,' Booth said quietly to Jack, already easing him out of the carrier, and heading towards the door. They left, glancing over their shoulders just as Jack picked Ange up, and carried her to the couch. He sat down with her wrapped around him, and sobbed her grief into his chest.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Cuba**

**Port Of Havana**

**Nikolay's Presidential Suite**

Genny stepped over the bulkhead, and looked around. The room had been cleaned because she could smell polish, and see the bed was perfectly made. Thierry followed her in with the cabin boy and the Captain in tow. She heard the cabin boy say as she walked into the bathroom, 'He's a really nice guy. Tips well. He went ashore last night and hasn't been back.' Genny looked around the bathroom, seeing nothing of his wash bag. She came out, noting Thierry opening cupboards, and pulling out half empty cases. She asked the cabin boy, 'Did he leave with anything?'

'I don't know. Everything is still here, I think,' the cabin boy replied unconvincingly, still looking around.

'No it isn't,' she said, looking to Thierry who shook his head to confirm there was nothing in the cases remotely like deodorant cans. He also realised the Samsonite was missing, and told her. 'He must have taken a few things with him. I'm calling Helga - she said she'd been to Cuba before, maybe she told him of a good place to go on the island.' Thierry thought that was a good idea, but was slightly surprised when Genny began manically frisking him for his cell. He stood still with his arm out, trying not to chuckle but he did giggle when she slid her hands over his buttocks. Ignoring how ticklish he was, she lanced his eyes with hers, asking, 'Where is it?'

Handing it to her from his internal jacket pocket, he asked, 'Don't you have your own?'

'Don't trust them,' she informed curtly, then rang Helga, and waited for it to connect, still scanning the room. 'Helga, its Genny. He's not here. We think he left the ship last night with a bag. The Samsonite isn't here. Did you talk about a good spot to visit or anything like that?'

"_Yes, I told him about a place just west of Havana I visited with great unspoilt beaches - Bahia de Cabanas_."

'Right, thanks.' Genny ended the call, and asked the cabin boy at a rush, 'How do we get to Bahia de Cabanas?' He shrugged his shoulder, not from these parts, and looked to the Captain who didn't seem to know either. Thierry gestured for them to leave.

'We'll ask one of the cab drivers to take us there. But if Nikolay returns, you let us know immediately, Captain.'

He nodded, pacing fast alongside the jumpy Agents, 'Of course, but we set sail in less than an hour - we won't wait for him.'

'I understand. I don't think he's coming back anyway.' Once on the dock again Thierry strode over the sunshine under his feet to the nearest taxi. 'We need to get to Bahia de Cabanas.'

The driver grinned slyly, flicked his cigarette out of the window, and turned on the engine. 'You taking the fast route to the promised land then?'

Genny and Thierry put their small cases in the trunk, looking at one another, perplexed by his comment. Getting in, Thierry asked, 'What do you mean by that?'

'_Everybody _knows about the Cabanas. For a price you can take a gut-churning ride to the Keys from there. You'll be the US in under two hours - _if _you don't get caught by the Coastguard patrols…' Thierry lost his magnetic smile, looking into Genny's eyes, both knowing they were thinking the same thing: Nikolay might already be in the US - smuggled in on a high-powered motor boat. The taxi sped off and they headed west.

'I'm calling the US Coastguard to see if they picked up anyone last night or this morning,' Genny informed, slipping her hand inside Thierry's jacket again, living off nothing but adrenalin and her wits.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Cam's Residence**

**Kitchen Floor**

On the brink of much needed climax, Cam slammed her eyes closed, and rode Flynn's cock deep inside her like a woman possessed. Grunting and panting between their feral bump and grind, she sneered, 'Faster, harder _goddamit_.' Flynn didn't need telling, he was already riding the wave towards a sordid oblivion and on autopilot. Cam blocked out how and why they'd ended up ripping each others clothes off and doing the nasty right here on the kitchen floor moments after he stepped over the threshold. It didn't matter who instigated it; she didn't want to remember. All she was focused on was coming, and her mind was in near melt down, until there was a bagging on her front door she vaguely registered. Then the cell in Flynn jacket, still half on his shoulders, began to ring. The two point distraction only slowed her a fraction, but she was incensed when Flynn stopped groping her ass, and pulled out the cell from his pocket. 'Let it ring,' she grumbled through gritted teeth: so close she could feel her toes and lashes starting to curl.

"Hello,' Flynn answered ordinarily, shocking Cam and insulting her.

'Don't _stop_, oooh, don't stop, you _bastard_,' she crooned and bitched as he stopped pumping. Losing the delectable sensations, she looked down to him as he listened intently to the caller and shh-ed her. Then from her right a shadow crossed her torn blouse and now the kitchen window rattled with thumps.

'Cam?! Its Caroline, get done fast or I'm breaking down this friggin' door!' Cam froze, mortified that Caroline could see what they were doing, and snapped her arms across her chest. With Caroline peering through the glass, Cam felt like a teenager getting caught by her outraged mother. Flynn's cock was already withering, and he was pushing her gently to dismount him. Plainly this sordid encounter was over, Cam realised, and rolled off him.

A few frantic minutes later and still out of breath, but hurriedly half decent Cam took a deep breath, before she opened the front door. Caroline strode in silently but her lingering expression said everything she needed to say to Cam. She tried her best not to see it or feel her severe disappointment. Flynn was still tucking his shirt in, and listening to the cell, and didn't seem in the lightest bit concerned that they'd been found out.

'What's going on?' Cam moved them on, crossing to the sink, and washing her hands.

Caroline tapped her fingertips on the counter, watching her closely. Then eying Flynn suspiciously, she informed, 'Genny called. We need to get to the bunker.' Cam dried her hands, seeing Flynn flick his eyes to them, then turn his back on them, still having a covert conversation. 'The cow pat has hit the fan and there's more heifers in the air!' Cam didn't understand her quip but knew by her tone this was serious, so nodded.

Then Flynn ended his call, tucking his cell away, when he said, 'I should come with you both.' Caroline looked at him as if he was telling punch line to a joke that wasn't funny. 'I've got some information too I need to share with the Team.'

Snootily Caroline said, 'How's about you just tell us your tip-bit and we'll pass it on - _Big _Boy?' Cam wanted the ground to open up for her to drop into, but Flynn grinned at her comment, staying cool and collected.

'I thought Hacker told you to _trust _me?' he challenged, pouring himself a glass of water, and took a swig from it.

Caroline fidgeted with the straps of her purse, and festered, 'I trust those that _earn _it…'

Cam exchanged glances between them, then sagged, seeing their edgy stand off and was bored with it. She sounded exasperated when she groaned, 'Oooh. Fight it out amongst yourselves. I'm going to change.' Cam limped off with as much dignity as she could muster on one heal, holding her torn blouse across her chest, and up the stairs. Caroline narrowed her eyes at him, and he at her.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**South Florida **

**Apricot Team**

**Helicopter**

The locating transponder began to race as the helicopter hovered over a clump of palm tress that backed a beach, "_Beep, beep, beep-beeep-beeeep-beeeeeep…"_

'There it is -,' Apricot One said, pointing out of the helicopter's open door towards AD Thomas' Mercedes, 'through those trees.' Then he asked the pilot, 'Can you set us down on the beach?' The pilot nodded, and began to pick his spot on the deserted beach.

Moments later the six man, heavily armed Apricot team circled the vehicle that looked abandoned, and edged towards it through the swaying palms. Apricot One silently instructed his team to close in, while visually checking the area for Pelant. He suspected Pelant was already gone but at least they knew they could forensically link Pelant to it now: as it was bound to hold his fingerprints or DNA. From twenty yards away he signalled his armed team to advance towards the vehicle. Apricot Three scurried through the sandy scrub, and looked through the window. On the seat next to the driver's side was a cell phone holding down a piece of paper with writing on it. He couldn't read the writing as it was obscured by the cell.

Apricot One joined him when motioned to. He peered through the window too. Curiously he opened the door, and reached for the cell with his gloved hand. As he picked it up, he saw the writing on the paper. His eyes widened and heart chilled when he read: BOOM!

The circle of palms swayed away in shock from the epicentre as the Mercedes blew apart with a cataclysmic explosion. Apricot One and Three were ripped apart as metal and glass sliced through their bodies like hot jagged machetes. Blood soaked sand billowed into the air along with the remnants of the twisted German-built wreckage and fireball. The remaining Apricot team where thrown clear by the blast but pelted by the flaming falling debris…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

Nikolay flinched when he heard the massive explosion coming from his right, and snapped his eyes towards it in the distance. Seeing the mushroom cloud blot the crisp sky from the spot where he'd made the exchanged, he realised what had happened. He'd been sitting on the sand contemplating what he'd done and set in motion by his actions. The guilt and Helga's words had stuck in his throat causing more cancerous lumps to manifest in ghastly magic. Staring at the sea for the last few hours, and fiddling with his cell, he'd been trying to decide whether to call Helga or not, and confess to her what he'd done. He jumped to his feet, and ran along the beach towards the fireball to witness the start of his ignoble act.

As he got closer he saw armed men dragging shivering, agonised incomplete bodies down the beach towards a helicopter. He ducked into the cover of the palms, and watched the frantic men trying to save their comrades lives by giving emergency medical treatment and futile resuscitation. The pristine sand was streaked by trails of blood and he could smell singed flesh that turned his stomach violently. Hot vomit filled his mouth and he spewed his guilt and horror at the base of a palm. Weakened and distraught, he collapsed to the sand on his knees, not noticing he was crying. He knew more of this horror was to come and it was by his hand and another's, that it would happen. His first thought was for those men that were innocent and didn't deserve this fate; no one did. His next was for Helga, and he remembered her saying she was scared, just like he was now, and riddled with remorse.

Trembling Nikolay hit re-dial, and waited. When she answered he was sobbing, while staring at the carnage along the beach, 'It's me. I've done a _terrible _thing. But you don't need to be afraid anymore, Helga.' As he said the words he didn't realise he'd the made the decision; it was instinct but he didn't retract it, knowing it was his only course of action now.

"_Nik_, _what's that noise? What's happened? I hear screaming…" _He heard her rush her questions with fear and shock lacing her quivering tone.

Wiping his eyes to see more clearly, he said, 'My beautiful, Helga, you vere right. I'm going after him. I vill stop him if I can.' Nikolay broke down completely, and wept pitifully his shame, 'I am so, so sorry - Good bye...'

With his wet eyes fixed on the carnage, Nikolay smacked his iPhone onto the trunk of the palm, smashing it, then threw it into the salty liquid ink of the ocean…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**At Sea **

**70 Nautical Miles Away**

Thierry felt his cell vibrate, so pulled it out of his pocket. Genny clung onto the rail, as the high powered, bullet-like boat sliced through the azure warm water heading for land, and watched him listen. His eyes paled in the lancing sun, then staggered towards her; not getting his sea-legs yet. She grabbed him around the waist to stop him from tipping over board, and held him close. Genny could feel all his contours against hers but dampened down her ardour for the moment, attempting not to let him see how aroused she was by his proximity and their frantic situation.

Listening to the tapped call Helga had received, Thierry shouted over the roar of Mercury engines and splitting waves; translating their exchange, 'Nikolay just called Helga! He made the drop already!' Genny gnashed her teeth in frustration, getting a mouthful of sea-spray. 'There's noise in the background, I think. He's crying, she's scared! He's going after Pelant - he says goodbye! That's it!'

'_Christ_!' Then Genny thought quickly, 'Can we triangulate the call - get his position?!'

'Probably not, it was too quick! - Excuse me,' he said politely and suddenly, spun from her embrace, then promptly spewed his sea-sickness over the side. Genny felt a deep compassion for him, and rubbed his back while he retched several more times.

Genny continued to calculate while Thierry turned himself inside out over the side, 'This is ridiculous - we're chasing ghosts! We _need _to co-ordinate. Pelant and Nikolay could be anywhere by now!' Thierry agreed with a nod, then hurled again, unable to stop himself. 'I think we should get back to the bunker and have a meeting as soon as possible! And you need to start being fucking honest with me!' Again he attempted to nod, but sank to his knees exhausted and green-skinned. Genny sat beside him on the rocking and rolling deck, and handed him a bottle of water and a Kleenex from her pocket. Panting, he took both with a slight smile of thanks laced with embarrassment. He in turn handed her the cell to pass on their intensions to the Team…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Bunker**

**Communal Lounge**

Parker was playing with Michael when Booth came striding back in, and announced, 'That was Cam - Caroline and Flynn are coming in. They want a meeting. Apparently they have news.' Bones nodded she'd heard him, looking over Jack's notes and scribbles he'd made on the Wormwood puzzle.

'That's wise.'

Sitting next to her, and slinging his arm over her shoulder, Booth said softly so Parker couldn't hear, 'I don't trust Flynn but I _suppose _I better suck it up.' Bones grinned, then looked to him, and kissed his cheek sweetly for his conciliatory attitude. 'Got anywhere?'

'Umm,' Bones hummed non-committal, feeling him scanning the pages too. 'This code you used worked perfectly for Daniel but it's obsolete for Wormwood. Nothing fits. Jack's tried the first letters for Hawaii - H, Antigua - A, New Zealand and so on - again nothing stands out.'

Booth thought for a moment, closing his eyes. 'What about the place names?' Bones snagged her head back, and looked to him. Booth opened his eyes. 'You know, the _places _on the postcards?'

'Oh. You mean what the cards represented?' Booth nodded to confirm.

'Ok. Hawaii was Waikiki beach.' She wrote down the letter W. Parker pricked up his ears to listen too. 'The seconds was Dickingson Beach on Antigua, then we got Egypt, the Red Sea.' She wrote D and RS on the pad.

'Or it could be the Suez canal,' Parker added, keen to help. The partners looked at one another, and shrugged shoulders, mutually agreeing that was a good point. In brackets she wrote SC.

'Oh. Yes, well done, Parker.' He grinned proudly that he'd helped a little. Bones then tilted her head, studying the letters, and asked rhetorically, 'Do you know what stands out to me? They are all bodies of water…' Booth sat a little straighter, and narrowed his eyes, thinking on that.

'N'aah, not all of them - the one from Xi'ang was the terracotta warriors.' He pointed to the page. 'That has nothing to do with water.' Bones grimaced, knowing he was right, but still perplexed. 'And the last one was from Venice Lagoon - now that _is _a body of water but didn't have a specific location.'

Nodding slowly, Bones rubbed her brow. 'Ummm. Confusing.'

Parker piped up again, 'What about New Zealand - that was of Milford Sound? Don't forget that.' Booth grinned, as Parker sat opposite them with Michael blithely crawling over his lap.

'Thank you for the reminder, Parker.' She wrote down MS now. 'Right, so we have _six _locations; H, A, E, NZ, X, V. Then five bodies of water; W, D, SC, MS, VL. Maybe its an anagram…' she muttered, trying to make words from the obscure letters.

'Yeah, but the Egypt one _wasn't _a postcard, it was a piece of paper,' Booth reminded just to confuse matters further.

'Ooh.' Bones wilted. 'Are you suggesting I'm being too pedantic and inflexible?'

Booth assured kindly, 'No, _never_.' Bones grinned, eased. 'And - you're always _flexible_,' he whispered naughtily with a clear reference to their encounter in the stable. Then with a suave smile he pecked softly at her lips. Bones nudged him discreetly in mild reprimand, flicking her eyes to Parker. Booth tagged on flippantly, 'I'm just screwing with your train of thought.'

'My logic is _messed _up enough already.' Bones sagged once again, and asked, clearly still very concerned for Ange, 'Do you think Ange is ok - should we check on them again?'

Booth placated, giving her a gentle squeeze, 'Jack's with her. She'll be ok, Bones. They'll call us when they need us.'

She looked back down to Jack's scrawled notes, and sighed heavily, her mind still not clearing enough to work anything out. But she tried a different tack, 'You said you thought Wormwood had a biblical reference again -,' Booth nodded, 'so you can't think of a connection with Wormwood in any part of the Bible?' Booth shook his head forlornly, but Parker twitched uncomfortably in his board shorts, catching their attention.

'What is it, Park?' Booth encouraged him to speak up. As he opened his mouth to explain the elevator door into the lounge opened and in walked Caroline and Cam, followed by an amazed Flynn. Jack then walked in with Ange with his hand firmly in hers from another door.

Caroline remarked on seeing them looking so sullen, 'What happened to you two? You look like someone died…' Booth, Bones and Parker winced, and held their breaths in the pin-drop silence that followed.

Jack glanced to Ange, then said softly, 'Lin died, Ange's Mom.' Caroline's face fell into a heap on the floor.

'Ooooh ffffffor _Christ_-sake,' she scolded herself, just stopping herself from swearing, seeing Parker. 'I'm _so _sorry, Angela. Me and my big mouth.' Caroline gathered her tightly into her massive hug, and squeezed her so hard Ange's lungs emptied. Ange patted her back to reassure her she was ok and hadn't taken offence. Caroline released her, and asked, 'How are you doing, my dear?'

Ange tried a grin. 'Better now. It was shock.' Caroline nodded solemnly. 'Heart attack apparently. I knew she had a weak heart, I just didn't think she would…' Ange trailed off; the futility of her sentence hit home, so dropped her head, unable to continue.

Pining, Caroline slung her arm around her shoulder, and edged her towards the couch, ordering, 'Get this woman a drink - and put that munch-able baby in her arms!' Parker jumped to it immediately, while Jack fixed her a brandy from the cabinet.

'I'm fine, really. I need to finish Jasper - time is running out,' she said, smiling as Michael hugged her tightly around her neck, instinctually knowing his Mommy was upset. Caroline sat beside her, watching her closely, not registering her Jasper comment.

'Is there anything we can do?' Cam asked, pecking Ange's cheek, then pointing at a spare chair for Flynn to sit in. He moved to it, checking out Booth's surreptitious look towards him, but didn't comment. Ange looked up into Cam's concerned eyes, and shook her head.

'Thanks, but no. Leo, her partner, has taken care of her and everything,' she informed, flicking her watery eyes to Jack as he handed her the brandy. 'What are you all doing here anyway?'

Caroline took a deep breath, prepared to explain but Cam intervened, 'Agent Flynn has some information to pass on to us.' Caroline snapped her mouth shut, and waited for him to speak.

He sat forward over his knees, scanning all the faces, then said directly to Bones, 'Ethan's code has been cracked by Professor Liskov. Plus, I've just been informed on the ride over that a team sent to track down AD Thomas' Merc have been - _caught _out by an explosion of the vehicle. It was a set up. Pelant knew they were tracking him and left them a message: Boom…' Bones and Booth exchanged horrified looks with everyone else as they all felt the walls closing in around them. 'Should Parker be here for this?' Flynn addressed Booth directly.

Booth bristled, knowing he should reassure Parker of their safety, but didn't like the fact that Flynn had pointed that out, 'We're safe here, aren't we, Jack?' Jack nodded, and sat on the arm of the couch next to Ange and Michael. Sweets appeared, then stopped in his tracks, seeing everyone looking pale and agitated. He could feel the tension as it was zinging the air in the room.

'Oh. Hi everyone - what's going on?' he asked, flicking his eyes around the room full of anxious people. He set down a tray of dirty places and glasses he was taking to the kitchen.

Booth said casually, 'A meeting. Could ya play a little XBox with Park for a while?'

'Sure, whatever. Come on, Parker,' Sweets said brightly, knowing his dismissal and taking Parker away was essential in the circumstances. Reluctantly Parker got up, and dragged his heels as they wandered out, but looked back over his shoulder to Bones and Booth, not wanting to leave the impromptu meeting.

Once Parker and Sweets were gone Booth asked Flynn, 'How many were killed?'

'Two, another hospitalized.' Booth hung his head, feeling Bones squeeze his hand. 'The other three sustained superficial cuts and bruises.'

'Genny and the Interpol guy are en route here too,' Caroline informed quickly. 'She's tracked a man called Nikolay that's supposedly supplying Pelant with something he stole from a facility in western Russian. They tried to contact him but his cell is dead. She doesn't know what he stole yet but she's sure the handover took place this morning at the Keys.'

'That's where they found the abandoned Mercedes,' Cam added. 'And she's told us Nikolay has had a change of heart and is going after Pelant to stop him if he can.' That information raised a few brows. 'Interpol are being coy about what they know about the stolen substance and keeping her in the dark.' Nobody saw Ange clench her fists or her expression of grief transform into anger on hearing the updates.

Changing direction of everyone, Bones asked Flynn, 'You said Professor Liskov cracked Ethan's code - how long has she been working on it?'

'Months in truth, for all the good it's done us. She was reluctant to assist us so our hand was forced.' Caroline snorted indignantly, mouthing under her breath: _kidnapped more like_. 'She needed to concentrate solely on her task.' Flynn flicked his eyes to Caroline, catching what she said but didn't rise to it. 'When Interpol get here, he can tell me, us what they know - I have high enough security clearance,' he informed without a hint of ego. They all stared at him as if he was garbage. 'Don't look at me like that - this wasn't my choice. I don't like keeping you in the dark about what I know.'

Ange simmered just under the boil as she insisted, 'Then tell us _now_. What does the saliva pyramid mean?'

Flynn sat back, and quirked his lips, considering all the eyes lancing his. He knew to earn back their trust he had to be honest now, so he said matter-of-factly, 'A combination of things actually. The pyramid represented Pelant's cascade worm - that wasn't hard to figure out…' Ange and Bones exchanged secret glances. He caught it though, and confirmed, 'Yeah, we know what it is, and how powerful and dangerous. Hence all the secrecy.'

'What else?' Jack pushed, taking Michael from Ange's arms as he started to fuss because he was tired. Jack stood, and rocked him in his arms, hoping to send him off to sleep.

'The symbols were his representations of numbers, the _atomic _numbers of the elements. But the only _compound _in the symbols was at the centre - all the others kinda circled it. That was the number for H2O - water. Which, apparently was odd. Liskov expected it to be…'

'Hydrogen -,' Jack interrupted, 'being the first in the Periodic Table. Was hydrogen the first number at the top of the pyramid?'

'Yes. We're not convinced, but _she _believes Ethan had mathematically calculated that Pelant was going to do something to water; the simplest and most abundant compound easily available. Unfortunately that doesn't give us much to go on.'

'On the contrary,' Bones interjected, 'We can assume he was referring to possibly rivers, oceans, lakes, reservoirs etcetera.'

Booth snapped his head around as Parker came bounding in again, and said indignantly, 'You _gotta _let me listen! You _need _to know something, Dad.'

Sweets trotted in after him, looking sheepish for letting him intrude. 'Sorry, I couldn't stop him. He gave me the slip.'

Flynn snorted, thinking this was a sham and very unprofessional to let the boy in. 'Oh this is ridiculous - babies and _kids _running about. We need to get _real _people. This is top secret information we're sharing here.' Ange bristled at the irony.

Parker gulped, and withered. Angered by Flynn's comments, Bones snapped at him, 'Don't you _dare _dismiss him like that, you have no rights here! I for one want to know what he has to impart. So shut up and listen - or _leave_.' Flynn took a deep breath, then dropped his eyes from hers; duly reprimanded and silenced. Booth smiled at her, proud and touched that she'd protected Parker's right to speak and for defended him.

Booth stood, and waved Parker closer to him. He asked softly, but concerned by his agitation, 'What is it, Son?' squeezing Parker's shoulder to continue.

Parker sighed with some relief having gotten everyone's attention, looking up into Booth's eyes, he said, 'You've forgotten about Wormwood - it _is _in the Bible, Dad.' With every face looking at him, he explained, 'Its a star, they talk about it in Revelations.'

'It also another name for mugwort - a shrub, Parker. And in Ukrainian they call that shrub chernobyl,' Bones said ordinarily, suddenly regurgitating the fact but not registering the connection right away. But Jack nearly dropped Michael from his arms, and audible gasps rang around the room from those it did resonate with.

'Whoa there! Isn't this _Nikolay_, Russian?' Caroline asked, watching as Jack handed Michael to the nearest person: Bones, while he ran to the other room to retrieve his old family Bible.

'Belarusian, but close enough,' Cam clarified sharply, staring into Flynn eyes across the coffee table to her. She just noted him flick a seductive brow at her, then narrowed her eyes a minuscule amount back, still not forgiven him for not getting her off.

Jack came back, and slapped the Bible on the coffee table in front of Booth, gesturing manically for him to find it. Quickly crossing himself, Booth knelt on the floor with Parker beside him, as they flicked through the large bound book. Bones peered between them with her hands on their shoulders as they searched.

'Wormwood, wormwood, worm-wood,' Booth muttered to himself, scanning the scripture with wide eyes and an index finger.

'It's at the back somewhere,' Parker urged, feeling others all gather around his periphery. Booth nodded, feeling his heart pumping hard. 'There! There it is!' Parker exclaimed, tapping the page with his own finger.

'_Well _done, Parker,' patting his shoulder, Bones praised solidly, then urged, 'Read it out, Booth.' She caressed his shoulder. Booth was already halfway through the passage, but skipped back to the beginning, then took a breath. The room fell silent as they all listened.

'Revelations, chapter eight, verse ten. Here we go… "_Then the third angel sounded: and a great star fell from heaven burning like a torch, and it fell on a third of the rivers and on the springs of __**water**__. The name of the star is __**Wormwood**__. A third of men __**died **__from the water, because it was made __**bitter**__…"_' The oppressive silence was filled with thoughts as connections were made. It felt as though the air had been sucked out of the room, and their skin tingled, making some shiver.

Jack was the first to speak, 'Mugwort, wormwood, chernobyl whatever you wanna call the shrub - artemsia vulgaris gives a _bitter _taste_._ Max _must've _cracked Ethan's code or how would he know to send those messages?' Bones and Ange, already having this discussion, exchanged nods of confirmation with Jack.

'You're in contact with Max Keenan?' Flynn asked incredulously.

Booth answered that one, 'No, not directly but he's been sending us messages by postcards and a messenger: a Hells Angel.' Flynn opened his mouth to say something but snapped it shut, not bothering to get more confused.

'I've got it!' Jack suddenly shouted, and snatched his workings out off of Bones' lap.

'We're thinking too hard again - not _simply_. This wasn't about the places, it was about the places the pictures _showed_. Not H for Hawaii but _Waikiki _beach - W! Not A for Antigua but _Dickenson _beach - D. Don't you get it?'

'Yes! Of _course_.' Bones stood up with him, nodding. 'Not New Zealand but _M _for Milford Sound. We can discard Egypt because that wasn't a postcard. What came next?'

'Xi'ang, China, then lastly Venice Lagoon. That gives us, in order - W, D, M, X, V. Do those mean anything to anyone?' They got a lot of non-plusssed looks back.

Narrowing her eyes at the letters, Bones then blurted, 'No wait, we received the Milford Sound postcard _third_, but it was sent _before _the one from Antigua - I remember making a note of the postmarks.'

'_Really_?' Booth asked disbelievingly. Bones grinned, pecked his lips quickly, then looked back to the pages Jack was scanning. Booth asked, 'What does that give us then?'

With his mind working faster than most, Jack suddenly slumped to the couch after letting Bones take the pages, with the blood draining from his face. Ange ran her hand over his thigh to comfort, seeing his parchment like skin. 'It gives us, W, _M_, D: Weapons of Mass - Destruction,' Jack said ominously as if the wind had been knocked out of him. A vicious chill ran through the Team as they stared at one another in morbid silence. 'Pelant's gonna contaminate the water supply with nuclear waste of some kind - bittering the waters…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**A/N: ***Gasp* Dun-dun-daarrr. Next instalment is already written - wan' it? Thanks soooo much for reading! Squishy hugs always, Lebxeb. XX.


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer: **All characters portrayed here are fictional. No infringement of rights intended. Bones & its characters are a product of Fox Inc. & not mine. No financial gain is received from this work of fiction.

**Summary: **Pelant's code has been finally cracked but they aren't the only cracks to appear as the pressure mounts on the Team. "Nothing is what it seems…" - Seeley Booth.

**Rating: M **

**Thanks**:

**Pelant**

**Chapter XXVI**

**Bunker**

**Communal Lounge**

… 'It gives us, W, _M_, D: Weapons of Mass - Destruction,' Jack said ominously, the wind knocked out of him. An evil chill ran through the Team as they stared at one another in crushing silence. 'Pelant's gonna contaminate the water supply with nuclear waste of some kind - bittering the waters… The radiation from Chernobyl contaminated the ground water, vegetation, people and livestock across Europe not _just _Russia. It was _three _days before the Russian government admitted to the world that the reactor had gone melt down. They evacuated 100,000 people from the area but again, _days _after the Level 7 event.' Many in the room gulped and dared to breathe as Jack went on, 'I remember reading an article recently about wild fires the area had been hit by, and the concern that raised because it released more contamination into the atmosphere. Some livestock in Scotland, for example, _still _have to be slaughtered and can't be sold for human consumption because of the levels of radiation in the meat. The Area of Alienation or commonly known as the Evac Zone, of nineteen miles, won't be safe for human habitation for another twenty, _thousand _years…' Those that hadn't shivered before did now as the hairs on the back's of their neck's stood up.

'But what does XV mean?' Ange queried the remainder of the code yet to be solved.

With her mind in overdrive, Bones shook her head incredulously, already realising what it meant, and felt nauseous for it. She explained, 'Oh. God. Its not X V its, V X. The Venice Lagoon postcard, if you recall, was sent to the mansion and had been there for a while before it was discovered. It was sent _prior _to the one we received from China. Therefore, Max's simple code and warning was: W-M-D, VX. Weapon of mass destruction: VX.'

'What's VX - some kind of radiation?' Caroline whispered into Cam's ear, noting everyone else seemed to know the answer but her. But as Jack and Bones' statements were still tolling in their heads there was a ringing sound that made them all flinch. Ange snatched up the do-all remote, and tapped a button. The windows showed Genny and a dark-skinned man at the barn's entrance above ground. Ange entered a code to let them in, and they watched as they got in the elevator, and made their decent.

'That's fancy,' Flynn muttered, impressed by the view-screen windows. Nobody paid much attention to his comment; very used to the remarkable security system and windows by now and had other things on their minds.

The elevator door opened and they stepped into the thick atmosphere. Putting her case down, a dishevelled Genny informed Thierry immediately, pointing, 'That's Agent Flynn, he has clearance to know what you _can't _tell me.' Flynn stood, and shook Thierry's hand with a warm smile, which confused everyone.

'Hi, Thierry, it's good to finally meet you.' Everybody exchanged shocked glances that they knew one another. Ange felt another knife pierce her back for being kept in the dark about their covert relationship, not noticing her nostrils flare and pulse quicken.

'Likewise. Hello everyone.' Then Thierry politely recognised the main protagonists, 'Doctor Brennan; Agent Booth, Miss Montenegro, Dr Saroyan - it's an honour. My name is Thierry Henry. I head a team of Interpol agents assigned to monitor International terrorism and threats. We've been monitoring Pelant for sometime in conjunction with security agencies in the US. The FBI and the NSA in particular. Pelant came to the forefront when the FBI contacted us about a few names involved with online purchases of surveillance bugs. But I'll get straight to the reason I'm here today. Terminally ill with thyroid cancer, a proven link to the disaster at Chernobyl, Nikolay Pudofski worked for a facility which safely disposes of chemical and biological weapons: given up by nations that have signed up to the non-proliferation treaties. Just over a week ago he stole an alarming amount of…' Jack interrupted him, making him pause.

'The deadliest nerve agent ever created - VX…'

Thierry stuttered, amazed they already knew, 'Yes. H-how did you know that?'

'We've not been sittin' here with our fingers up our butts, you know!' Caroline barked at him, the colossal strain starting to manifest on her forked tongue.

Thierry stifled his amusement at her side-swipe, then glanced to Genny, asking out of the corner of his narrowed lips, 'Caroline?' Tucking her tousled hair behind her ear, Genny nodded on a blush to confirm that was indeed the feisty, buck-some Caroline she'd told him about. 'No, of course not, Ms Caroline. I hope I didn't imply that.' Caroline twitched her nose; a gesture of grudging forgiveness, then opened her purse looking for a candy bar. Thierry went on, 'He has passed this chemical onto Christopher Pelant, we _think _in two Right Guard deodorant cans. And now we have an ever greater threat hanging over the international community - Pelant's cascade worm.'

Flynn nodded to confirm, then revealed his own agenda to all, 'The Director appointed me to monitor your investigations into Pelant and the progress made on the code. I've been reporting back to him specifically and allowed to share information we felt was necessary to assist in the case. Hacker is fully aware of my role too. It was me that recommended you, Agent Shaw, to liaise with Thierry on these matters. And it was because of my understanding of how well the Jeffersonian and this team worked that I recommended to the Director, that you gather here to meet in secret. He sanctioned that, trusting Hacker, Luggia's and my judgement. Isn't that correct, Cam?' All eyes shot to Cam, she twitched in her chair, then nodded to confirm she knew all this along.

For some reason that was the last subterfuge Ange was supposed to swallow without comment. But she felt betrayed and not respected by her colleagues to tell her that information before. And the fact that Flynn was back-handedly taking the credit stuck in her craw too. With her fragile emotions, fatigue and temper fraying, she asked rhetorically, 'D'ya know what?' Ange stood suddenly, and brushed herself down. All eyes snapped to hers. 'I'm _sick _of all the lies and double speak we've had to put up with - the deceptions. The conspiracy of silence about Pelant's worm and the testosterone _pissing _contests of these countries to keep their secrets, secret, has put ordinary people at _greater _risk. It's no wonder that people like Pelant and Nikolay want to expose the lies: resent and mistrust the authorities and our politicians with a _vengeance.._.' Everyone gulped, surprised by, the normally placid, Ange's vitriol but they couldn't deny her point.

She gestured to all, reminding, 'We're all _supposed _to be on the same side but you _blatantly _lied to us, so did you - and _you_.' She pointed to Cam; Thierry representing Interpol, and Flynn respectively. 'If you had the _balls _to be honest and informed us of what you knew _months _ago, we might not be in this, this - _sit_-uation now! …. I've got some work to complete before this sick son-of-a-bitch unleashes the next Armageddon on unsuspecting innocent, _decent _people just trying to live their lives in peace!' She withered the team with her disgusted expression, then said dismissive of them all, 'Excuse me...' She paced off through the door, her eyes brimming with tears of frustration, anger and grief. Jack looked around all the shocked faces without comment. Silently he took Michael from Bones' arms, and followed in the footsteps of his wife, not offering them an apology for her outburst. His silent exit was confirmation enough that he agreed with every word she'd uttered.

'Shall I go after her?' Bones quietly asked Booth. Sadly he shook his head, understanding Ange's frustrations completely.

He whispered back, 'Give her a little space - she's had a tough day.' He felt Bones retake his hand, and the slight dampness in the centre of her palm, giving away her growing anxiety. Parker knew that was he's cue to leave the, so-called, grown ups to it. He stood, then kissed Bones' cheek sweetly, then knuckled Booth.

'I'm gonna hang out in my room, then get some sleep,' he said softly, obviously disturbed by the revelations and oppressive awkward atmosphere.

'But you've had nothing to eat this evening,' Bones reminded, deeply concerned for him. He grinned half-heartedly, and shook his head unconcerned.

'I'm not hungry, Bones - kinda lost my appetite. Night all.' He quickly left the room for his. Sweets went after him, after a surreptitious nod to Booth he would make sure he was ok.

Bones squeezed Booth's hand, saying, 'I'm going to make him something.' She got up, and made her way into the kitchen to do just that.

'I didn't lie to her -,' Cam beseeched the room, thinking on what Ange had accused her of, 'not _really_. I had no choice.' Booth stood, and hitched up his jeans, knowing Cam was trying to defended her obfuscating.

'In our own ways, we all lied to them at some point - and all they've tried to do is make us feel welcome and shared their home with us. They haven't asked for money, thanks, or complained about having their lives screwed with. They've worked their hands raw for us all and put more hours into cracking this case than all of us put together. I think all Ange is saying that they deserved a little more respect and honesty for that.' Booth left his words hanging like a humid cloud over the silent remainder as he went after Bones into the kitchen.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Kitchen**

Surprised by his sudden entrance, Bones wiped away a tear quickly from her cheek, and busied herself with making Parker something to eat. But Booth didn't miss much, and sighed softly, then walked over to hold her. He slipped his hands around her waist, and nuzzled softly into her neck. Flicking a smile his way, buttering toast, she offered him more of her neck. 'How ya doing, Dimples?' he asked tenderly, knowing she was feeling for Ange especially after her home-truth speech.

Booth felt her sink into his body, as she said, clearly torn with negative emotions, 'I'm so sad for Ange and Jack. We've put on them so much. I know we'd do the same for them but it always seems to be _us _that's in need of _their _support and generosity.' Booth kissed her neck, and nodded to agree. 'She's my oldest, most precious friend, and must be desperately unhappy but I don't know how to make her feel better - she would me…' Booth held her tighter, then he turned her around in his arms, and they rested brows. 'Her mother dieing now, _especially _now, when they were getting close again, I just, I can't imagine what she must be going through - all those regrets. And on top of all that she has the fear of what Pelant is planning _up _there to contend with.' Booth held his lips to her brow in a long delicate kiss. 'Did you know she's written a brilliant program to eradicate Pelant's worm to solve everyone's problems?'

Booth nodded. 'Yeah, Jack told me. She's a _bitchin' _tech-y genius.' Bones grinned, nodding her brow on his. Then Booth added tantalizingly but carefully, 'He also confessed something else today…' Bones lifted her brow off his, searching his compassionate eyes for a clue to it. 'Before Max left the country, he came to Jack and explained what he was planning to do. Jack gave him the _means _to take off with Christine and keep her safe for us.' Deeply touched, Bones eyes widened in shock, but simultaneously her heart throbbed. 'Yeah, Jack is part funding Max's travels. But Jack felt so guilty at first cos he thought Max wouldn't go through with it and thought we'd win the child services case and keep Christine with us. Then, when he saw what it did to us when they took off, Jack regretted what he'd offered. I told him we'd be eternally grateful to them and not to feel guilty. Knowing what we all know now I think Jack did the _right _thing.'

Holding him as firmly as she could muster in the circumstances, she asked with incredulity, 'Oh. My, God, Booth, what did we do to deserve such, such _amazing _people to be our friends?'

'I don't know… But I think we've been truly blessed, Bones,' he said, gently rubbing his cheek against hers. 'Ange doesn't know and Jack doesn't want her to know either.' Bones nodded slowly, tucking that secret away safe. They looked over with surprise when Genny came into the kitchen on a grimacing smile.

'Hi, sorry to intrude but I haven't showered for forty eight hours, slept much or eaten anything, I've been running on empty for… aarh _shit_.' Genny came over, tossing her manners aside, and snatched the piece of cold toast Bones had buttered earlier. She stuffed it in her mouth, and began to chow it down like a hungry beast. Booth and Bones sensibly gave her room, and started to chuckle at her ravenously devour the next slice too. 'Thierry's in the same state - except he's worse. He threw up on the speed boat then I did on the flight up here.' Bones grimaced at the thought.

'We did wonder what the smell was,' Booth said with a wry smile. Genny stopped chewing, and smacked his arm in reprimand. With that Thierry poked his head around the kitchen door. They looked over towards him.

'Is that toast? I'm French - and have an inbred sense about these things,' he asked with his eyes salivating as well as his mouth. Booth and Bones smiled, easily charmed by his gentle humour. With a fast nod to confirm, Genny waved him over. She offered him a slice which he snatched from her hand, and stuffed it into his mouth. He sagged to the counter, and rested on an elbow, almost in delirium as he chewed the fat-soaked carbohydrate. Bones got an idea immediately, seeing them starving. She began to make herself busy, while Thierry said in his smooth accent, 'This is the finest toast I've _ever _had.' Genny smiled, and nudged him playfully. 'There's a heated debate going on in there about what Ms Montenegro said to us all. And plenty of honest information being swapped now - it's a good thing and clearly overdue. Her ideals are a little simplistic but I truly sympathise. I didn't enjoy deceiving you, Genny, but I had my orders. I hope you can forgive me.'

Genny held his gaze and attractive smile, as she said, 'Everybody has to answer to somebody…'

Just then the window screens all changed to show a resolute Ange in her studio, standing in front of Angelator with her tablet in hand. Booth's gut tweaked, making him say cryptically, 'Not _every_-body…' Ange looked composed and completely in control of her emotion now. Jack and Michael were sat down on the couch to her right.

Silence descended throughout the bunker as she began to speak with _don't-mess-with-me-you-won't-win _authority and determination, 'Attention everybody, this is the Queen of the Underworld speaking.' In his room Parker gasped, then sniggered, and rushed to lay flat on his bed, resting his head on his palms to listen. 'This announcement is to inform you all, that _none _of you are leaving this bunker until at least tomorrow lunchtime.' Bones grinned hard, having a premonition of what was coming next, unperturbed by it, she continued to make cheese on toast. But Booth grimaced at her, thinking Ange had rolled off her trolley. Flynn rushed to get out his cell. 'You are all reminded that cell phones do work down here and I have changed the entrance and exit codes. And my _King, _has disconnected the landline and internet access.' She gestured towards her noble Jack behind her. Parker laughed hard; he felt like he was a participant in some scary movie plot, and loved it. 'So don't bother trying to escape or warn anyone above ground about my intentions.' Stunned, Thierry slumped into Genny's legs as she sat up on the counter. She split her legs, making him settle back more, while his jaw hung. 'Behind me you can see a countdown has started which _cannot _be stopped.'

The countdown clock read: 11: 54: 20, and ticked the seconds down.

'Oh. Fuck, what has she done?' Flynn whispered with a building sense of foreboding. Nobody dared answer him. 'She's lost da'friggin' plot…'

Ange went on sweetly, 'It relates to a program I've just uploaded to the Net. This program, the cutely named, Jasper, designed and written by me and the _very _brilliant Doctor Brennan, will _destroy _Pelant's worm for good,' she said with a charismatic, almost megalomaniac, smile which made Caroline burst out laughing at in the lounge. They heard her in the kitchen, and Bones and Booth smiled through it.

However Flynn gasped horrified, and shouted at Ange, 'You CAN'T do _that! _The NSA have been trying to control it for months!'

Ange replied aloofly, 'I can, and I have. It's a _bitch _when the table are turned on you, isn't it, Agent Flynn…?' He snapped his gaping mouth shut, realising they would have to take this blow and there was nothing he could do to stop her.

Then she added belligerently, 'I'd like to remind you of my original objective: it was to crack and destroy Pelant's code - which I've done. Nobody in authority told me I was _not _to destroy it - so how can I be blamed for just doing my job?' Booth grinned, charmed she'd learned to play the game their way. Bones ran her hand down his back, and kissed the top of his head, feeling much happier. 'Yeees -,' Ange crooned, seeing Flynn and all reactions on her multi-room view screen, 'now no one can get it to _blackmail _other countries, people or institutions,' she informed with a narrowing of her eyes. But she brighten immediately to say, 'Our security forces and those of other countries will have to do without it, I'm afraid.' Genny and Thierry exchanged smiles, relieved Ange was taking this unilateral decision for the benefit of everyone involved whether they liked it or not. It was a courageous decision they couldn't have made themselves, so were slightly in awe of her and definitely envious.

'Jasper will take just over twelve hours to do his work.' Then Ange rattled off like she was an eternally happy volunteer at Disneyland, 'So I suggest you get comfortable, watch a _movie_ - _eat _something - _discover _our wide selections of alcoholic beverages. And it looks like Bren is making shit-loads of cheese on toast in the kitchen,' she encouraged with a casual wave towards it. 'Please, feel free to use _all _the facilities at your disposal.' Booth started to laugh just as Ange bade farewell to all with a breezy, 'Good night all from your Queen and King.' Beaming, Jack waved to everybody from the background with Michael's tiny hand.

'I need candy - we better have candy!' they heard Caroline wail from the lounge, and all started to laugh harder. They snapped their eyes to the kitchen door as it was flung wide.

'She's gone insane! Grief stricken, she's lost it! Its cabin fever!' Flynn ranted, practically running into the kitchen followed by the rest of the either shocked or amused gang.

Parker came bounding in moments later with a huge smile on his face, loving all the intrigue and excitement, and announced, 'She's friggin' _awesome_!' Serenely Bones immediately handed him a plate of cheese on toast, and pecked his cheek as he tucked in, flashing his eyes around everybody several times.

Bones confirmed, 'Yes, awesome indeed.'

'She's _crazy_!' Flynn reiterated.

'Nooo, she's not crazy,' Thierry whined his rebuff to Flynn, sitting up on the counter with Genny. 'She's the most sane of us all and thinking the most clearly,' Thierry countered. 'Don't you see, Flynn, if it works everything goes back to normal - the threat is gone? And they won't arrest her because she knows too much and they can't risk what they tried to do becoming public knowledge.'

'I concur,' Bones backed him up, pouring a tall glass of milk for Parker. Handing it to him, she gave him a deep comforting smile which he soaked up and mirrored with hamster-full cheeks.

'Don't worry, your job's safe, Flynn,' Booth placated, sitting down with a cup of coffee next to Parker almost as serene as Bones appeared. 'They can't blame you, you didn't know what Ange was planning.'

'Well, there's nothing we can do about it now - its done,' Genny said, resigned to the fact, glancing to Thierry. He nodded to agree. 'So - I'm going to do exactly what our _Queen _suggested. I'm picking a suite and getting comfortable.' She slipped off the counter, gestured for Thierry to follow her, as she tagged on her reminder, 'But we still have to find Pelant and stop him.' Everyone sobered up fairly quickly with that statement. But it gave Booth an idea…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**An Hour Later**

**Roebucks Internet Café & Diner**

Sipping a cappuccino, Pelant sat at a free table. Looking around the other people peering at the banks of computers in their isolated worlds, and surfing, he smiled with smugness. With the sound of a small jet taking off over the café's roof, he got out his laptop from his knapsack, and made use of the free connection that came with the purchase of his two dollar beverage. Once online he checked on the progress of his _baby _that had now morphed into a beast, just to wallow in his triumph, and wile away the hour before his flight took off back to DC. He ran a diagnostic to find out what other secrets it had discovered for his delectation. It took a few moments to run but to his delight a new piece of code was highlighted by the diagnostic. He clicked on it, continually amazed by the wondrous evolutions it had gone through since he set it free, and was keen to know what it was this time. But there was something unusual about this piece of code, and narrowed his eyes at it to understand what it was doing…

The other café dwellers all jumped and gasped as a man threw his coffee across the table, and screeched his ire into the air, leaping to his feet. 'BITCH - _FUCKING _BITCH!' he roared, incensed, and picked up his chair, lobbing it across the stunned room. The staff all backed off, not daring to approach or reprimand him. They all made their own assumptions: either he'd been dumped by his girlfriend, cleaned out by her, or he'd discovered her infidelity somehow. But they didn't know him or really care what had made him so angry, neither did they want to get involved.

Staring at the piece of code, and panting, with his fists and teeth clenched for moment, Pelant thought of what to do. He knew he couldn't stop it but he also realised they probably knew now what he was planning. That meant he didn't have as much time as he thought, so he didn't waste any.

A moment later he slammed the laptop shut, and stuffed it back into his knapsack, and left with all eyes on him but not noticing. Breathing again, everyone exchanged shoulder shrugs with each other, then looked back to their computers, moving on with their own lives. A slightly less bored waitress righted his tossed chair, then began to slowly mop the floor of spilt coffee as normality resumed…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**23.04PM**

**10Hrs 7Mins Till Net Shut Down**

**Bunker **

**Communal Kitchen**

The kitchen window that normally had a pleasant view now displayed the countdown clock, so no one forgot. Parker kept himself small and quiet, hoping the adults wouldn't pack him off to bed. He didn't want to leave or miss anything that might occur. If he were honest with anyone that cared to ask, he would say he was scared but felt safer being with them all. Listening to everyone discussing the case; codes, Jasper, the nerve agent: VX, and debating what they were going to do next, strangely comforted him. Wine was flowing, chips and dips, and candy being eaten, and the atmosphere was not light-hearted but much more relaxed now and people were being civil to each other at last. It was almost as if it was like a subdued party atmosphere, he thought, and smiled for it.

Ange and Jack, having put Michael to bed, had reappeared and had been congratulated by most for their decision: although Parker thought Flynn was still not convinced by her logic. Parker thought it was a genius idea and made perfect sense to him. They'd also been gracious enough to accept apologies. He watched his Dad too, quietly taking everything in while Bones sat on his lap, sipping a glass of wine. They kissed regularly and held each other close, he noted, and comforted by their loving looks. But Parker avoided eye contact with his Dad so as not remind him he was still not in bed. Thierry was back too, refreshed and wrapped in a guest robe. Parker watched him fussing around the fridge and cooker, creating something that smelt wonderful and made his ever-empty stomach grumble. Genny hovered close by helping him, attired similarly. Parker thought they made a cute couple, as they seemed to get on very well, and smiled a lot at one another. Parker didn't feel ignored but felt his presence was accepted. He was privileged to be privy to all the debates, intriguing interactions and discussions going on, and absorbed it all.

'Your Majesty?' Booth said getting Ange's attention. She looked up, and smiled, others snorted their amusement too. 'As we've got time to kill I thought we could put our heads together and try and work out where Pelant will release this stuff. When we get out we should have a plan of action: you know, the most likely spots he might target?'

Jack nodded. 'Yeah, great idea, Booth. I don't think I'm gonna sleep tonight.' Most nodded or mumbled their agreement, no one felt tired with their adrenalin rush still surging. 'I've got maps of DC and the infrastructure we can examine; water courses, reservoirs, treatment plants, that kinda thing.'

'Great, lets do it.'

'I'm in,' Flynn jumped, keen to do something but wait and twiddle his thumbs.

Thierry turned from the oven, and placed a large dish of vegetable lasagne in the middle of the table, as he said, 'Me too. Bon appetite.' Genny followed his dish with a plate of garlic bread and a pile of plates. Everybody cooed, very impressed with his skills, and tucked in from around the table.

'Wow, awesome!' Parker gushed, rushing over to tuck in too. But it was then that Booth, grabbed his arm as he reached for the bread, and narrowed his eloquent eyes at him. Bones grimaced for him, knowing what Booth was going to say. Parker sagged, and whined, 'Oooh. Maaaan. Lemme stay up, Dad, _please?_ I've been good, and haven't got in the way - _and I _helped you with Wormwood,' he pleaded with his best spaniel eyes. Everybody smiled, waiting for Booth's decision, hoping he would indulge the young man.

Bones added her plea, 'Let him stay, Booth, or at least eat something decent before he retires.'

Booth sighed heavily. 'Okaaay -,' Parker shone like the Pole Star, then Booth warned, 'but don't tell ya Mom I let you stay up.' Parker shook his head to confirm he wouldn't breathe a word, then was handed a pile of lasagne by a winking Genny.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**01.01AM**

**8Hrs 2Min 43Secs**

**Communal Lounge**

**Man Free Area**

Draining her glass, Caroline then slurred, wrapped in a sheet from her bed, having nothing else to wear for pj's, 'So when did you and Ffflynn start doin' the naked mumba?' All the ladies gasped at the revelation, Cam included, disbelievingly that she would spill her secret. Curled up on the couches, Ange and Bones, dressed in Pj's along with Genny, snapped their eyes to Cam with mouths agape. All of them were inebriated by now, having polished off several bottles of wine and now on the bunker's Napoleon brandy supply. 'They were humping like mad dogs on the kitchen floor when I _caught _em',' Caroline disclosed with a wicked smile, and a flare of her eyes. Ange bellowed her amusement, Genny gasped, and Bones sniggered.

'Oh my, _God_, Caroline! I can't believe you, you…' pausing, Cam shook her head out, and lifted her chin defiantly. 'Its _just _fizz-physical, a way to relieve the stwress I've been under - that's all,' she slurred back. 'You're just as _bad_!' countering, prodding Caroline's thigh accusingly. She snagged her head back, looking confused and bleary-eyed. Cam blurted what she knew, 'You _stole _candy from a _BABY_, you've been so messed up! Its _just _the same.' Everyone gasped again, horrified by the insinuation if it were true, and snapped their eyes to Caroline now, as if they were watching a tennis match.

Caroline defended indignantly, 'That only happened _once_! And I gave the kid cash to buy another pack of Oreos!' Ange nearly fell off the couch for laughing so hard. Genny snorted burning brandy out of her nose, while Bones rolled about in fits, holding her bruised rib as she cracked up.

Caroline pulled her makeshift toga around her protectively, then said, 'Well, pinching a few cookies is nothing so shocking as seeing Flynn's, Flynn's, mm, mmm…' Caroline couldn't say the word, and fought with herself not to say it.

'Flynn's what?' Genny enquired innocently, wiping her nose of brandy. Bones and Ange glanced to each other, holding their breaths for the next onslaught.

'God-dammit, Girl, his _MEMBER_!' Caroline balled. The ladies froze, then fell about in hysterics.

**(( **In the kitchen the men all stopped what they were doing, and flicked their eyes around the table at one another. None of them daring to clarify what they knew they just heard. 'We didn't hear anything - let's just concentrate, besides they're obviously a little pissed,' Jack said very seriously, but trying not to laugh. That was a gross understatement but nobody corrected him. Then men all nodded, and looked back down to the maps, trying to ignore the laughter coming from the next room. Parker tugged Booth's t-shirt hem, and whispered, 'Dad-Dad, what's a member?' Booth gulped, then looked down to him, seeing Parker grin, then chuckle, clearly knowing exactly what it was. **))**

'Hooo haaaa! Oh. Caroline, don't be such a _prude_. You've seen cocks before,' Ange said, grinning from ear to ear.

With eyes wide but bloodshot, Caroline shot back, 'Not since 1997!' The women erupted again. 'And then it was only lit by a glowing green condom.' Chortling, Cam topped up everyone's glasses, slopping most of it on the table top. She oops-ed quietly, and grimaced. Cam slipped ungainly off the couch, and started to lick up the spillage. Nobody commented, because it didn't seem unusual to any of them.

'W'aahh! Stop it! Haaa, stop it, my rib, oh, my rib,' Bones pleaded, but unable to check her hysterics, holding her side.

'Oh. I _so _wanna see Thierry's member in a glowing condom,' Genny confessed on a wanton sigh, then swigged from her glass. Everybody stopped laughing suddenly, and oooed naughtily instead.

'Umm. Yeees,' Ange mewed seductively. 'He _is _a de-licious French huuunk and he can _cook_.' Then she said sternly, as if it was an executive order, wagging her wand hand, 'You get on and _ride _that puppy, Genny! I bet you could do with some stwress relief too.' She chuckled, shrugging her shoulder, and blushed scarlet.

'Why iz it that when women get to-gether, *burp*, pardon me, and share a few glasses of alcohol the conversation always turns to matters of sex?' Bones enquired, looking perplexed by her observation, and slipping slowly down on the couch as if losing cohesion.

Patting her wrist, Ange explained, 'It'z the first law in the Essential Guide to Girlie Gossip handbook. Just go with it, Sweet-tee.'

'Iz it - why have I not heard of diz handbook be-fore?' Cam grinned, hiding it in the bottom of her glass at Bones' drunken attempt to speak properly.

'Put it on your, hic, Christmaz lizt,' Caroline added, then knocked back her shot dribbling most of it down her chin. Genny assisted her to wipe her jowls but got batted away like a gnat.

With that new information in mind Bones suddenly blurted, 'Boof and I had _sex _on a horse recently.' All eyes and heads snap to hers, and mouths hung. Narrowing her eyes, Caroline tilted her head, trying to work out how that could be managed. Cam smirked, seeing her move her hands about trying to figure that out. 'Then, then he tied me up in the stable with a bridle, and I requested that he put _just _his chaps back on. Dat was _extremely _vis- visually stim-ulating.'

'Ooohh -,' Ange growled, twitching, 'waaay too hot an image for me not to lick my lips. Hang-on…' She promptly, achingly slowly, licked her lips, then drooled, 'I think my ovaries jus-t exploded. More-more,' Ange begged, flaring her sultry, rolling eyes at her.

Slumping to lay her cheek on Ange's shoulder, Bones obliged, and said secretively, completely drunk, 'We scared de-horse - Boof got kicked in the buttocks - but it was _alright_! It was alright - I still achieved organism,' she said proudly, not recognising her mispronunciation.

'W'aa haa!' Ange chortled over the riotous hilarity, just as they all did, Sweets poked his head around the door. Cam stopped licking the table like a cat, and looked up towards him.

Ange greeted, 'Oh. Hi ya, Sweets! Are we being too loud and bluuue?' Sweets shook his head with a charmed smile, noting them all trying to look innocent, decent and not drunk. They fell way short of their goals. 'The guys are in the kitchen if you wanna go through,' Ange said pleasantly, airily flapping her hand in their direction.

'Actually, I've got someone here that want's to have a word…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! **

**A/N: **The countdown has started**… **Will Pelant be stopped by Nikolay or the Team? Where will he release the VX nerve agent and on whom? Will someone be able to stop Jasper? And who wants a word with the drunken women? Find out in the next chapter of **Pelant**. Theories & reviews most welcome. Hugs, Lebxeb. XX


	27. Chapter 27

**Disclaimer: **All characters portrayed here are fictional. No infringement of rights intended. Bones & its characters are a product of Fox Inc. & not mine. No financial gain is received from this work of fiction.

**Summary: **The countdown clock is ticking to kill Pelant's devious code for good but time is running out to find where he will strike next. "Nothing is what it seems…" - Seeley Booth.

**Rating: M (Definitely)**

**Thanks**: **Jane/**guest: Great & thx svm. U r so kind. XX. **Jsboneslover: **Hoping UR ok? Thx 4 the fab reviews _yet _again. XX. **Suki**: Soz 4 the delay, hope u didn't stop breathing. ;) Hugs & big thx. XX. **PARMR**: Delighted by ur generous comments. Thx again. XX.

**Pelant**

**Chapter XXVII**

**Communal Lounge**

**02.31AM**

**6 Hrs 35 Mins 28 Secs Till Net Shut Down**

'I just wanted to give you my condolences, Angela. I'm so sorry for your loss. I suspect if it wasn't for your Mom I wouldn't have this.' Ange nodded, and accepted the delicate kiss to her cheek, sobering up fast. As she took a seat next to Genny, they all winced, noting how difficult and painful it was for her but gallantly didn't let it show on her features. 'And, and I heard you having such a good time and saw your speech, _obviously_. I just had to come down to congratulate you too. I've been stuck in the infirmary upstairs for so long I just had to get out for a while,' explaining, as she placed a crutch on the floor beside her. Seeing her settled, Sweets silently went off to the kitchen with a smile.

'Of _course_, Daisy. How's the arm - have you got the hang of it yet?' Daisy looked down to her state-of-the-art prosthetic limb Ange had been gifted from China, and smiled. She pulled up her robe sleeve to show them.

'Oh. My _God, _it looks so _real._ Look at that - it even has hairs on the skin!' Genny gushed, astounded, and stroked it tenderly, peering at it with brandy-soaked eyes.

'Yeah, its a little heavier than my own limb but I'm getting used to it now. My fractured femur is still giving me some discomfort but all in all, I'm good. Lance has been a my rock. My reoccurring nightmares are the worst symptom but he's always by my side to talk me down.' Everybody nodded, trying to focus their eyes sensibly. 'I can't thank you enough for letting him stay here too.'

'Once we've got Pelant we don't have to keep the chips we got from China a secret from anyone. You can go home with him again.' Daisy smiled hard. 'I expect your parents are eager to see you too.'

'They're fine. We swap letters - Lance brings them in and has kept them up to date with my progress.'

'They did an _amazing _job at your funeral not to let on you weren't dead,' Cam said sweetly, woozily rocking back in a chair finally.

'Yes, so I understand. Mom always knew her amateur dramatics skills would come in handy one day. I can't wait to see Pelant's expression when I come face to face with him and realises he failed to kill one of us and we _duped _him.'

'Well, now you're here, would you like a drink - we're on the brandy?' Caroline asked, playing Mom and changing the subject quickly, wanting to keep Pelant out of her mind a while longer.

'God, _yes_,' Daisy sighed, clearly desperate for one. Cam pushed a full glass towards her on the table: hers, having had more than enough. 'Oh. I can show you how good I'm getting with it. Watch.' They all watched intently, holding their breaths. Daisy reached for the glass, then picked it up fairly dextrously, and brought it to her lips. Just as she about to sip from it, it slipped from her fingers, and spilt in her lap. Daisy grimaced, and mashed her lips, obviously frustrated by her failure. Everyone exchanged glances in the awkward silence. 'Oh. _Shit_-bum-crap,' Daisy growled, patting herself dry with her good hand, explaining, 'I'm being extra careful cos last night I nearly crushed Lance's lance with it. Pour me another.' With that image planted, Bones was the first to start laughing, followed closely by Ange, and was quickly joined by the rest of the gang, which relaxed everybody again.

'Don't waste this one, Cher - this stuff is sixty dollars a shot,' Caroline reminded, pouring her another generous measure. With determined eyes, Daisy picked it up, and took a successful sip.

'Y'AAY!' They all cheered her triumph, and applauded. Smiling hard Daisy then knocked the rest back, and smacked her lips together.

'Right, what were we talking about?' Daisy asked, handing her empty glass over to be refilled with some catching up to do.

Filling it, Bones said in all seriousness, 'Sex - apparently it's the first law in the handbook for Girlie Gossip etiquette - do you have a copy?'

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**03.35AM**

**5 Hrs 47Mins 10 Secs**

**Booth & Bones' Suite**

**Bathroom**

'Sit, _just_, sit down, Bones. That's it - on the toilet seat.' Booth eased her down to the seat, and made sure she wasn't going to slip off in her stupor.

She cooed sexily, running her hands over his slim hips, 'I love it when you're masterful.'

'Haa,' he chuckled at her vamp-ish smirk. He started to prepare her for bed, and picked up her toothbrush. She snatched it from his hand just as he was trying to load it, and squirted paste into the sink instead, 'Oh. Jesus, Bones - don't do that. I'm trying to put paste on it.'

She snapped indignantly, but cutely, 'I can do it!'

'Shh. You'll wake everybody.' He took it back as she sulked. Then checking him over with lust-filled eyes, she slipped her hand up his thigh towards his cock, clearly drunkenly amorous.

'Shall we go back to the stable? Come on, I'll tie _you _up this time,' she oozed sultrily, but uncoordinatedly.

Booth tried to ignore her, and instructed with a wry smile on his lips, 'Open your mouth.'

Bones waggled her brows, missing the toothbrush he held at her lips, still fumbling around for his cock. 'OooOOooo. What have you got in mind, sweet lipz?'

He dragged his lips away from hers, and said gently, 'Not that - you're too drunk. I just wanna clean ya teeth.'

'Umm. Kinky…' she purred, then chastised snootily, jagging her head back, 'Hey, I'm not drunk! I have an _exceptionally _high toler-wance for alcohol.' Booth sniggered, waiting for her to do as he instructed, then knelt on the floor in front of her. This was a rare but amusing treat to see her so out of herself. She was a happy drunk and her state didn't surprise him; as all the woman were carried off to bed similarly by the men half an hour ago.

Brushing her hair from her eyes, he aimed the brush again. 'Well, you've exceeded it - by a quart. Open.' She spotted the toothbrush, focused, opening wide obediently.

Booth was in like a shot, and rasping around as she made a sound like when the doctor wants to look at your tonsils, 'Arrrrrrrrrh.' He couldn't help grinning madly, scrubbing around. Then he looked into her eyes, as she said sweetly, still with the brush in her mouth, 'I uv oo.'

'I know, love you too,' he said placating-ly but she caught that.

She pulled the brush out to say, 'No, _serious_! I _love _you, I don't tell you nuff,' while clasping her hands around his neck, and pouting for being so remiss. 'You're so sexy, and strong and umm good to me - look, you're cleaning my teeth and ewee fing.' Booth tried to put the brush back in but she was having none of it, and started twittering on again with frothy lips, 'Did you know there's a book about girl gossip and sex talk? I _never _heard of it and suspicious about it,' said, while narrowing her eyes, then smirked, 'I want sex wid ya now.'

'Spit,' he said, pointing to the sink.

Bones grinned, then oozed, running her fingers down his naked torso, trying to be seductive, 'Boooof, you know I prefer to swallow. HAHAHAHA!'

Grinning, he picked her up under the arms. 'You're making me blush.' Bones spat in the sink, then he wiped her lips with a towel. She staggered slightly, then looped an arm around his waist, staring into his eyes as best she could. It looked to him as if she was speaking in her head but her lips weren't in sync with her brain. He thought it was the sweetest look in her eyes he'd seen in the longest time. It was loaded with love and thanks for what he was doing for her. On a stronger smile, he kissed her lips softly, thanking her for it. Her smile returned, and she nodded as if she was pleased he understood whatever it was she'd said. Then he helped her into bed. 'Lay down, that's it.' She sighed, and rolled, reaching for him as soon as he slipped in beside her. Her hands wrestled with the sheet, and fumbled around again under it. 'Booones, stop that, just go to sleep. What _are _you doing?'

She snuffled sexily into his ear like Dietrich , 'Givin' you manual pleas-uuure - you like it, don't you, yeesssss?'

'I would but that's not my cock, although I'm flattered you think I'm that well hung - you're stimulating my _knee_, Bones.'

'Ooh. Sorry. I'll try a little higher,' she muttered, then flapping the sheet up, and ducking under it for a brief moment, then came up biting her bottom lips as if concentrating hard. 'Tsk. Can't find it, where's it gone…?' she mumbled, scratching around aimlessly in the pitch dark, having little sense of direction.

It was his turn to mutter, staring at the ceiling, 'Ok, so not flattered now.'

Finally she found his precious, Booth flinched as she began to jerk him off vibrantly. 'Arrh. Here he is! Hehehehe. Ummmm. How's zat feel, _good_, eh?' she said egotistically.

Booth jarred, snapping his hand to hers, blanching, 'Painful-_painful_!' Bones stopped her intimate massage, and slumped on a disgruntled sigh. 'Oh. Thank-God… Maybe we should just sleep, wadda-ya-say, Bones? Bones?'

'Gnnnoorr, purrrrr, guuummmm, puuuurrrr.' Hearing her snoring in his ear, he chuckled, then closed his eyes. He started to wilt under the sheet with her hand still resting on his precious.

'Night-night, Bones.' Kissing her brow, he caressed her smooth back, and drifted off.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**06.07AM**

**3 Hrs 0 Mins 4 Secs**

Having freshened Bones returned to their bedroom, but paused as something devastatingly beautiful had caught her eye. A smile teased her lips, seeing him sprawled out on his back, a knee kicked out and a large hand limp on his lower stomach all caressed by the near dawn. The white sheet tangled on his foot: almost slipping off the bed, draped like curved marble cut by a Master to the floor. Finely sculptured too, he was divinely naked, and although there was little light to see by, that warm light made his classic physique magnetise her eyes to its languid form. His pose reminded her distinctly of the photo he'd sent her whilst in prison, which brought back a whole flood of stimulating memories and emotions.

With the clock ticking and not knowing what was ahead for them it felt imperative now that she should express the deep love she harboured for him - in case. This wonderful, tall drink of a man was who she was going to spend the rest of her life with, filled up her senses; her eyes, body, and mind too. She could, but didn't, hang every loving cliché on their relationship; he was the best thing to happen to her, her soul mate, she couldn't live without him, and made her complete, to name just four trite ones. But the irony was they were truisms she could no longer deny.

She crossed the carpet, her eyes never leaving his body, and knelt down beside him as if in worship of a deity. But it wasn't a worship of the kind he engaged in, it was a worship of a whole other sort. Drizzling her gaze from his messy hair over the crest of his nose, her eyes swung gently around his soft sweet lips, and touched her own as they tingled urgently as if wanting to feel his against them again. Then compulsively she slipped her eyes down and around his throat to see his jugular pulse flicker under his skin: proof he was alive and real, not a heartless statue. Further down her eyes caressed his strong torso as it narrowed to his waist, then hips and admired him with feminine desire. The scars, indentations, bruises and nicks to his flesh she knew well, had memorized before, but now they seemed more poignant: for they spoke loudly of traumas faced, and sadly, inevitably more to come. They didn't mar but bejewelled him with triumphs, each retelling a story, and reminded of the survival of the strongest. Most he wore with humble pride and that was what she loved about them; he was her physical guardian and emotional protector. Like a marble statue he'd stood firm and hard for her to lean on, but he was also scratched deeply by the tools of emotional pain. This beautiful flawed man, she mused, that loved her so devoutly, almost irrationally, never flinched from her side. How could she not love and adore every facet of his being? she pondered. Now, finally, she felt capable of returning that love for his unstinting support.

Lower her eyes went and met with a flutter to her core on reaching his flaccid heavy sex, while her fingers twitched to touch. She felt her smile strengthen, and wondered why was it that she always wanted to touch him there: rigid or soft. Was it because it was so responsive to her or that she found that part of him fascinating? Or was it more likely that it gave her the opportunity to become a part of his salacious poetry? she mused. As a piece of him, it was to her, his second most alluring attribute; his expressive eyes being the first. And when those warm sensitive hazel irises concentrated solely at her: she felt like the only woman in the world he'd ever looked at that way, or was ever going to.

Moving down again, his muscular downy thighs extolled power and stability, making her lick her lips, and slowly swallow. She breathed in deeply, and sighed out with reverence and arousal. Just gorging herself on his sensuous body always drew that earthy response, she recognised in herself. Trickling down lower she paused when he mumbled, and flexed his hips and hand. Looking back to his face, she could see his eyes beneath his lids moving as if in REM sleep mode. He muttered again, and swallowed after taking a deep breath. She caught his fingers twitching, and wondered what he was dreaming; she hoped it was of them. Then something else began to twitch awake on his thigh, which made her smile broaden. She knew healthy men could get several erections during sleep but never witnessed the event that way. She wondered, had he somehow sensed her watching him and become aroused by the hot caress of her eyes?

Voyeuristically and with some nervousness she watched in primitive silence as he engorged and his hand moved towards his shaft but didn't touch: nervous because she knew she'd feel terribly jealous and hurt if he moaned another's name. But when he moaned with grittiness, 'Boo-nes umm…' not only did she feel euphoric and relieved, she was deeply touched too, which compelled her to touch him, and make his dream a reality.

Without trying to wake him, she gently, and very carefully trailed her index finger around his pronounced ridge. He moaned again, flexed, and swelled to almost full extension. It was like a sexy challenge for her to see how much stimuli he could take before he woke. This time she put a little saliva on the tip of her index finger, then circled the velvety top of his erection. He thrust up slowly, and rumbled like 2.1 earthquake had shook him. A sanguine smile played with her lips and eyes: she knew exactly what he was dreaming about now. Then almost immediately he shifted, and she looked to his face. Bleary eyed, and confused, he focused sharply on her eyes, then braced on his elbows. He was clearly concerned that something was wrong or had happened.

'Is, is everything ok? I was just umm, just dreamin'…' he waffled, plainly perplexed by his dream and her kneeling beside him on the floor. To relax she caressed his face, and nodded, noting he hadn't yet realised he was proudly sporting an erection.

'You're magnificent,' she whispered her compliment, needing to express that and meant it to incorporate all of him. Kneeling up, while fully cupping his scrotum in her warm hand, she added, 'You were dreaming about me, you said my name in a longing way - I'm _very _flattered.' She looked towards his erection, as if to confirm her point. He slumped back to the bed, grinning, she thought a little shyly, which completely endeared him to her, and continued to pleasure him tenderly.

Caressing a lock of her hair, he asked sweetly, not commenting on her intimate caress because he understood she loved to play, 'How ya feeling?'

She knew he was referring to a possible hangover but she had other things to tell him, 'Loved, protected, strong - aroused…' Romance wasn't her forte, he knew, but when she offered him her act of contrition it was undeniably plucked from her heart, 'And I'm _so _sorry.' Booth glared at her, troubled by her sudden pained expression. 'I'm sorry I haven't been able to make love to you - not properly.' Booth saw her eyes spring tears and brim on her lids for that sorrow. 'I haven't felt strong enough to share that emotional depth with you - until now.'

'Oh. Bones.' He reached for her, wanting her hold her close. She laid flush along his lithe body embraced, and smiled a fraction when he purred like a drowsy replete lion.

Thumbing his lips delicately, she breathed into his ear, 'You know I enjoy any kind of sex with you but - when we make love, umm, when we…' she trailed off until she found the right phrase, 'I _love _to love you...' Booth nodded gently, haunted by her downy voice, and feeling her nibbling his ear lobe. She heard him hum erotically when she pushed down her pj pants, now staring into his crackling eyes, and declared passionately, 'I adore your body - your lips…' Her top was next to be discarded when she sat up. Then very carefully she straddled him, he held her hips in his hands, and they shared asbestos smiles that shone through the half light. Her lips were finally contented when her tongue slivered delicately between his lips and met his just as gently. That kiss was brief but no less sensuous and her idolising kisses became ever more so when she glazed his vibrating throat with them. Saying, after she tracked kisses down his chest, with eyes that would melt metal, 'I _love _your lion heart -,' kissing over it precisely; one kiss for each vital chamber, 'and your sensitive mind.' Her fingers caressed through his hair radiating shivers down his spine on a mission of their own. 'I love everything you stand for and all your insecurities too.' Bones generously nipped at a flat nipple, and sweetly suckled the nub when it peaked. Booth felt her soft hair tickle his torso but in a erotic way, and coveted the luscious sensation. 'I love you physically and emotionally, from your head to your cute toes.' Booth grinned wryly, knowing she didn't like his feet really but was touched by her little white lie. '_Really_…' she said to confirm, leaning up, with a _butter-wouldn't-melt_ smile he saw straight through.

'Ok,' he gave her that, unable to miss that her dark nipples were already cut sharp and full breasts pertly hung: grazing his sensitized skin as began to descend again. His tongue itched to suckle one of those peaks, to make her gasp and writhe, a compliment he was eager to receive. But he didn't think he would get the chance with the full-on, loving-my-man-mood she was in.

Shuffling slowly down, Bones nudged his knee out with hers, and knelt between his legs, then allowed her smoky eyes to caress his erection with palms placed on his splayed thighs. 'Oh, Bones, don't look at him like that, you'll burn him,' he told her with a hint of a warning. She didn't bother telling him she'd considered that unlikely phenomenon earlier while watching him sleep; her mind was engaged in other matters.

Bones delighted in the solicitous full extension of his second most alluring attribute under her phosphorous gaze. Watching that transformation and his reaction was an aphrodisiac to her womanly pride and she had to restrain herself from coupling them immediately. Feeling her folds awash with her sexual excitement and anticipation, Bones twitched resting on her heels. 'I love your fabulous cock too, especially when _this _part -, ' she touched his corona again, 'rubs against my Grafenberg zone - it feels _incredible_.' That sent a lightening bolt up his stiff shaft and to his brain; his eyes to her meandering index finger, and a sneering grunt of impatience out of his throat. Witnessing his taut muscles ripple, his pelvis flex and eyes darken to almost dangerous, she moved on with her diligent seduction, pushing her hands up his abdomen to his pecs to tweak his nipples.

She was stalling again, his frustration mounted. 'Just _fuck _me,' he ordered, griping her hands, and tugging her to comply. She laughed softly, resisting his urgent pull, and shook her head at the irony.

'You gently castigated me in your letter for doing that. I'm trying to be good here and slow myself down - us down,' she reminded, slipping her palm around his shaft with a twisting torque that curled his toes. Booth moaned deliriously, but was pissed that he'd said that now, now that he was raring to go. She stroked up and down slowly, while trailing her moist tongue along his defined Adonis belt, before saying tantalizingly, 'I've got another G zone of sorts…' Her gravely timbre excited him further, knowing where she was implying that was, and his thoughts turned filthy. 'Indulge me, I'm certain you'll enjoy this just as much.' Sweetly rebuffed for his zeal Booth laid himself wide open to whatever she wanted to do, desperately trying not to rush her while his flesh sizzled like a steak on a griddle. He laid a tension-filled hand on her hair, then brushed it away to see her love-swamped eyes more clearly as the dawn filled their bedroom.

Kissing over his fastidiously trimmed pubic hair, she then nuzzled into his scrotum to his wanton purr, then leant back. She thumbed his glistening cleft in a delicate pattern, but caught his molten eyes snag painfully on her healing stomach scars once they drifted over her breasts. 'Don't think about them, not now, _please_, Darling,' she begged quietly. He looked up into her eyes, and tried to do as requested. With her free hand she stroked his distressed expression, hoping to relax him again. Turning his lips into the middle of her palm he kissed, nodding his compliance for her sake: he didn't want anything to spoil their true reconnection since she returned to him.

The pad of her right thumb felt moist, distracting her, so looked at it, and drew in a needed sultry breath. He knew he was oozing just like her. 'Oh. God, I love tasting you too.' Throbbing viciously in her hand Booth gulped, having suspected that by the way she always performed fellatio with aplomb, often exuberantly. But hearing her admit it openly for the first time was even more mind-blowing than receiving it, almost. 'But when we make love, you _scramble _my mind - I crave you more and more.' He knew exactly what she meant because it was the same for him; sometimes they couldn't get close enough. She settled back between his knees, hovering over his tall cock, breathing over him, 'Because I become someone else I only recognise with you. The secret soft person I'm scared to show to anyone else.' Biting kisses slowly up his pulsing steamy shaft, Bones then closed her lips over his silky ridge, and siphoned off his glistening pre-cum with the tip of her slippery tongue.

'Arrrrh,' he sighed his tribute to her delicate tongue while she smacked her lips softly, and savoured his taste on her palate, with a matching satisfying hum. Getting that first flash of heat from her tongue, Booth willed her to suckle him, breathing deeply and rapidly with his racing heart.

She could see him stare at her parted lips, and swallow hard, and then lance her eyes, but held back from vocalising what he wanted. But she didn't need the hear him as it was in his etched in his eyes. Slipping a couple of fingers into herself, he watched as she transferred that rich silkiness, and rimmed his sphincter with it. He grunted again but cried out a moment later when she smothered his corona with her mouth, and suckled unhurriedly with tenderness and love that singed his corneas. He knew exactly what she was imparting wordlessly, and chanted it back to her, 'Luv ya-love ya…' A palm smoothed up his abdomen at snails pace to seek out a hyper-sensitive nipple, and toyed again. Bones' core zinged and her arousal almost peaked feeling his silk rub the roof of her mouth. Gasping a breath with her jaws stretched wide she fought off her orgasm gallantly for a while. Every muscle fibre tightened and sinew strained in his body, she noted with delight, and rolled her buttocks to alleviate some of the rampant pressure in herself. Her eager cavern pulsed within, and felt her inner thighs gloss with more lubrication. The decadent taste of him and sensation of him easing his velvet crown into her mouth was too much to bare: she couldn't do this for much longer. Her weak resistance was slipping fast.

Her twirling tongue was scrambling his mind now as the sensations intensified especially when she rubbed his notch with her curling tongue. Then she stopped, and patted his heavy cock on her braced lips a few times; his turgid flesh swelled further deepening in colour too, then she suckled again. Repeating her assault she rubbed and rubbed with her tongue till he could barely breathe.

He snapped his hand to hers on his pectoral, and squeezed: almost over-loved. 'Temperance, _please_,' he fawned, impeached, unbeknown to him she was in the same esoteric place. Then her mouth and tongue were gone and he snapped his wild eyes open to hers.

She was already swarming kissing over his body en route to his parted dry lips. His chest heaved as she apologised softly, 'I'm sorry…' Confused, he shook his head to ease her, presuming she was apologising for stopping. 'I can't wait any longer - its agony.'

Lacing her fingers with his she eased that cluster above his head, and held him fast, whilst peering into his shimmering eyes. The other blindly steered his thick iced cock to her swollen labia, again at a ghastly slow pace which almost crippled him. He felt her inner lips pucker agitatedly on his crown, and saw her eyes straining to confine her need to become at part of him. He understood she was deliberately slowing herself down again but he couldn't resist her either. Booth pushed up with his pelvis to save them from the agony of the wait, and in: passed the slight resistance of her burning flesh that rippled and tugged at him excitedly.

'Arrhh,' she whimpered to their bliss, struggling to keep eye contact as she gave in to her need, then settled down to lock them together. That part of him pierced so deep and opened her wide like her mouth. 'Oooh. What you do to me,' she muttered soulfully, shaking her head slightly in disbelief. Then she felt his large hands ease her buttocks closer so he burrowed ever deeper, and his tongue filled her gasping mouth. She felt possessed, overwhelmed with emotions and utterly, intrinsically connected to him.

Powerful arms, she vaguely noticed, surrounded her. It felt like she was falling and confused her addled brain more, but then felt the cool sheet beneath her back, and knew he'd rolled them. Batting open her eyes to find his loaded with desire, love and similar emotion, her spine turned to rubber as he began to very gently and slowly withdraw, nearly, then slid back in.

Booth was making the most gorgeous noises. They were incoherent utterances of veneration and weren't meant to be understood as they clearly spoke for themselves. Then she realised most of those utterances came from her too, and smiled broadly. That brought about his understanding smile, and they kissed again. Her hands, she noted, couldn't keep still as they traversed the contours of his wide back, smooth buttocks and powerful thighs. They moved in opposing unison, gradually quickening as the intense heat and friction built where they were connected, declaring love between their kisses. Trembling hands, knowledgeable fingers, limbs, finer angles, and accelerating motion all were used to pleasure and adore the other.

That moment began to hurtle towards them like an unstoppable fiery comet: the moment of total intimacy with another being. Each fought to stave off the sublime to wallow in the pre-orgasmic state to heighten the inevitable, not realising the other was generously doing everything to push the other to go first. Consequently they rushed headlong into the blinding hot light of oblivion, minds scrambled, watery eyes locked, body-shocked with ecstasy, and breeched together on cries of sudden dazzling rapture.

Free-falling, with the wind at their heels, they blazed and fused. Bones felt delicious searing spurts of seed shoot into her quaking womb: an exotic mixing of him and her. His heart thundered against hers, and lungs failed momentarily as he emptied with four stabbing, deep thrusts.

Booth wilted over her for just a moment to fuel his rasping lungs, before he withdrew sharply, and knelt up between her quivering thighs. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pulled her up towards his chest as she draped backwards, boneless: still in her throes. With a firm but gently guiding hand on her buttock he positioned her on his lap, then slipped back in till they were conjoined again. With her thighs draped over his, she settled back to the bed with a ravaged sigh of contentment and surrender. He began sumptuous, deep thrusts which made her sob her bliss on each. 'Oooh. My _G _man…' she muttered adoringly, rolling her head on the pillow: the connotations having nothing to do with the FBI but everything to do with where his anatomy was rubbing internally. He grinned, hearing her sexy benevolent pet name for him.

Booth could see her split wide by his root, and watch their connection to his hearts content; it was something he adored to watch and always kept him rock hard. He could feel her pussy walls rock and roll along his shaft, clambering for him. A burning hand immediately crushed a swollen breast in his palm, and growled as her ample flesh rose between his fingers, and felt a pebbled nipple in the pit of his palm. Simultaneously placing a thumb on her throbbing slippery pearl with the other hand, he agitated it mercilessly to help bring her off again.

Whelped by him from all directions, she focused her hooded eyes, and practically drooled on seeing his wide and wild eyes hedonically watching his cock sliding in and out: re-stoking the pyre between her legs. Every delicious ripped muscle of his torso was pumped with fevered blood, sweat sheen-ed his flesh as if he was oiled up. He suddenly snapped his eyes to hers, and part sneered arrogantly, part idolised lovingly, 'You're so wet, Temperance - love it.' That only made her water more, and sob again for how tender her name felt slipping off his lips.

Booth rocked forwards, and peered into her eyes almost close enough for their lashes to touch, and breathed, 'All of me?' A lump of emotion built in her mid-chest and throat, and she nodded, knowing what he was pleading for and what he knew she needed.

She wrapped her quivering legs around him, tilting her pelvis, opening herself out to share as much as physically possible with him. Kissing her softly as down, and curling his tongue around hers, he deftly teased his slippery testes into her with his fingers. Bones' breath hitched, as her body began to resonate at his pitch, their pitch: so full of him she almost burst. 'You're all mine - forever,' he pledged and proclaimed in one.

She breathed her equivalent rational timeframe, 'A lifetime,' forging a bond with his deep softening eyes.

'I'll-take-it,' he managed, the gravity of her eyes sucking him in too. She nodded fast, with a swipe of her lips with her tongue, getting her confirmation in before the world dissolved, leaving just them at its molten epicentre. This was the precious man that loved her unconditionally; fought with, laughed and cried with, took out all her frustrations on, and adored. The man that made love to her until her mind and body dissolved into ecstasy, and with him had created another human being via their wonderful love. He was the glorious man that had helped her ease their baby into the world with his own hands and made them a family. He was to her everything great and good in her life and her necessity, but a shadow cast over her joy as she also ached for their heartbreak. Her chin started to tremble as memories of Christine flashed through her mind; all relayed through her eyes too.

Booth caught the swirling vortex of emotions in her leaking eyes, and empathised with his own brimming tears. Sharing those emotions with her, while sprinkling a clutch of comforting kisses over her lips, sashaying his hips around on autopilot now, he encouraged, 'Just hold on a little longer - she'll be home soon.' Bones bit her bottom lip, and nodded, desperate not to ruin their intense physical enjoyment of one another, then blew out with determinacy to push away that shadow.

Moments later all longing, sad thoughts where obliterated when their shared climax blasted through them like a fiery tempest. 'Temperance, Bones - oh-sweet-Jesus,' Booth muttered, feeling her core flinch rapidly almost crushing his complete throbbing sex. He noted too she never closed her eyes but held on to his as if tethering herself to his soul for their soaring flight. As he thought that, she smiled hard to acknowledge that was indeed the case. But he knew she'd never, not in a million years, confirm that.

Their enraptured bodies writhed throughout the pandemonium of sensation but their loving eyes held fast to each other until they were spent. Booth sagged again over her, panting, and withdrew a little but she held him still, imploring, 'Not yet - I'm fine, just let me hold you.' Booth nodded, and slumped, feeling her trail her fingertips down his spine, as they wallowed in the fizzing embers of the loved they'd made. 'Wonderful - so precious,' she mumbled against his ear, then kissed the shell of it. Booth lifted his head to look into her eyes again, seeing her lingering smile of fulfilment - then an actual shadow crossed their heated skin to cool it, and they looked lazily towards the window for its source.

'Good _morning _campers,' Pelant said smugly, twinkling a wave with his fingers. Bones and Booth felt their hearts stall, and gasped in shock, turning to stone. Pelant neared the camera lens, filling the screen, as he yelled manically, 'WAKEY-WAKEY, TIME TO _DIE_!' **…**

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**A/N: **W'aah! Will Pelant get into the bunker and poison them all? Or will Booth get to finally shoot the deranged mother fucker? Find out _real _soon in the next update of **Pelant**. Bless you for reading. Hugs, Lebxeb. XX


	28. Chapter 28

**Disclaimer: **All characters portrayed here are fictional. No infringement of rights intended. Bones & its characters are a product of Fox Inc. & not mine. No financial gain is received from this work of fiction.

**Summary: **The countdown clock is ticking to kill Pelant's devious code for good but time is running out to find where he will strike next. "Nothing is what it seems…" - Seeley Booth.

**Rating: M **

**Thanks**: Wow, what amazing responses to the last chapter - completely humbled. Thank you all, sincerely. I _will _get around to replies but busy typing atm. However, I will at the start of the next chapter for those not with PM enabled. Soz for the delay, please forgive. Squishy Hugs. XX

_Warning: Showdown about to start. Hang on tight to each other… _

**Pelant**

**Chapter XXVIII**

**8.41AM**

**0 Hrs 26 Mins 43 Secs Until Net Shutdown**

**Booth & Bones' Suite**

Frantically slinging on shorts and a white vest t-shirt, Booth sat on the bed, pulling on sneakers with murder etched across his solemn face as he stared at Pelant. Bones was haring around dressing too just as Parker came tearing in looking petrified. 'Dad! Dad! Its that Pelant man!' he yelled, pointing to the screen that Pelant still filled. Standing, Booth hugged him tightly to comfort, understanding that Pelant was clearly on all the view screens throughout the bunker. Bones felt a lump of emotion leap into her throat, seeing Booth crush Parker to him.

'We know - go with Bones to the communal lounge and _stay _there - it's gonna be ok. Love ya, Son.' Flicking his eyes to Bones, they shared a brief nod of understanding, both knowing this could be their last moments together. Releasing Parker, Booth hurriedly stepped into Bones' body space. She snapped her arms around him, and they kissed several times. 'I _have _to…' he whispered his apology against her lips. Bones squeezed him tighter, nodding her consent, knowing she couldn't stop him anyway, and verging on a breakdown. Booth then put her hand into Parker's, entrusting her to keep him safe. With her eyes locked on Booth's she gripped Parker's small hand tightly. 'Go - I'm right behind you,' Booth instructed and lied for Parker's sake, gesturing with a nod towards the door. Bones slowly let go of Booth's hand as they held each others gaze for as long as they could, eloquently saying everything that was needed. Dragging her heavy feet, not wanting to leave him, Bones finally opened the door, taking a empowering breath, and stepped out of sight of him. As soon as they were gone Booth rushed to shut the drapes, ignoring Pelant's cocky smile, then retrieved his firearm.

As Bones and Parker stepped into the corridor it was already filled with scared and confused people in various states of half-undress. Cam and Flynn came out of the same suite. A flushed, ravaged-looking Genny and Thierry appeared from another. They covertly held hands, and walked briskly with the rest, gaining a bed-headed Caroline and Sweets en route to swell their anxious ranks.

**(( **_With the corridor clear Booth trotted in the opposite direction, curling upwards towards the first level. _**))**

'How did he find us?' Caroline asked anyone, feeling her stomach toss violently with fear and rancid brandy.

Most shook their heads not knowing except for Flynn, he told them succinctly, 'We discovered he obtained the blueprints for the Lever estate - they were in his house…' Sweets rolled his eyes, shaking his head.

Caroline asked rhetorically laden with heavy sarcasm, 'And you didn't you think that pertinent information you should've passed on? Guess not.' He didn't react as they poured into the lounge. Ange was already there looking pale and agitated with Michael in her arms, and staring at the gargantuan image of Pelant. They crescent-ed either side of her. In the frightening maelstrom of peaked emotions and fractiousness nobody noticed that Booth wasn't with Bones and Parker.

'Where's Jack?' Bones asked through the deathly heavy atmosphere at Ange's side, and looked at Pelant too, still gripping Parker's hand.

'He's gone up,' Ange divulged, sounding desperately frail and terrified. Hearing that Bones gawped at her, then placed her free hand on her shoulder to offer some comfort, understanding how she felt. 'He's hacked into the security system. He can see _and _hear us,' she whispered through narrowed lips, hoping Pelant couldn't lip read. It was then that she realised Booth wasn't with them, and felt her heart wither because Ange knew where he'd gone but was equally heartened that Jack wouldn't be alone. Bones read what was in her eyes, and shook her head slightly for her not to say anything to Parker. She needn't have concerned herself, even with his innocent years, Parker knew his heroic father was going after Pelant; it was what he did: get the bad guy, and had expected him to.

'Where is that?' Flynn asked with his hands on his hips and his weapon in a shoulder holster over his bare chest. Nobody noticed his back had been raked by Cam's manicured nails, nor cared what that implied.

'That's the camera outside the barn entrance - he's just changed the angle of it.' Genny and Flynn exchanged looks of confusion, contemplating why he would do that but came up with zilch.

Pelant grinned, looking at all the faces staring at him, and revelled in their thinly veiled shock and panic. 'Lovely to see you all up finally, Campers. I've had quite an enjoyable morning. Genny and the black guy fucking like rabbits was fun to watch. You got some _great _moves - I made notes.' Genny dropped her eyes, and squeezed Thierry's hand, mortally embarrassed but nobody gave a damn about what they got up to, but felt for Genny all the same. Pelant went on smarmily, 'And the enigmatic Temperance _Brennan_, I gotta say, you and Booth were the surprise package. I just _had _to jerk off watching ya.' Pelant deliberately licked his right palm, with a flare of his eyes. Caroline sneered, disgusted by that. Sweets dropped his head, and shook it in disbelief. 'Woo-boy, I'm surprised you can still _walk_,' Pelant added with a lecherous smile. Bones felt raped by his lurid remarks and action but didn't give him the satisfaction of a response. But Parker felt the tension in her grip on him tighten, and hurt for her. He looked up to her face, seeing her cheek muscles flickering, and eyes glistening.

'Tone it down, Pelant -,' Cam chastised boldly, 'minors present.' Her rebuke slipped off him like water off a ducks back: he didn't even register that he'd heard her.

Slightly turning his back to Pelant, Sweets asked, 'Can he get in?' Ange stoically shook her head, then placed Michael in the playpen.

Pelant went on: conveying complete control over the situation, 'And Caroline, you took up a whole double bed! My God you really are a grotesque _fat _bitch, aren't you?'

'Up yours!' she sneered her insult back, giving him the finger, then slumped down on the nearest chair with an air of majesty about her. Parker liked that and wanted more of them to retaliate because it made him feel better. However Pelant laughed at her retort, utterly confident and genuinely amused by her.

'Pelant, what do you want?' Ange asked, feeling her palms dampening.

'Angela Mon-ten-egro,' Pelant cooed on an impressed sigh, training his eyes solely on her now. 'I underestimated your talents. You really are my favourite now. That little piece of code was worthy of me. We should join forces, you know. We could _rule _the world,' he gestured around him flamboyantly.

Suspicious of Pelant's motives for showing up, Sweets whispered to Flynn while Pelant spoke, 'He's stalling - why's he stalling?' Flynn shook his head slightly in reply.

**(( **_Two floors above the lounge Booth ran into Jack coming out of his study the gravity of the situation etched on his face like an ugly tattoo, Booth noted. 'Where's Flynn?' Jack asked, surprised he wasn't with him. Booth followed him up the corridor, knowing they were heading to the elevator to get to his operations room above ground. _

'_He's armed and with the others in the lounge. He can stay there and protect them if Pelant gets in.'_

'_He can't get in -,' Jack confirmed, pulling open the elevator door, 'I'm gonna try and cut the connection so he can't see us and hopefully get a message out to Hacker.'_

_Nodding, Booth said nonchalantly, 'I'm just gonna waste the fucker,' charged with adrenalin, flicking off the safety, and loading the chamber of his weapon efficiently, as they stepped into the elevator…_ **)) **

'By the way, Jasper's a cute name for it - whose idea was that?' Pelant asked casually, not noticing Parker's eyes spot the do-all remote on the arm of the couch. Having an idea, Parker prised his hand from Bones', and sat down on the arm of the couch, picking it up discreetly. He surreptitiously aimed it at the screen, and pushed buttons while the exchanges went on, and Caroline secretly watched what he was doing from his side.

'Mine,' Bones replied to Pelant but didn't elaborate further. Then asked, thinking it was worth a shot, 'Where are you going to release the VX?' Pelant bellowed, throwing his head back, and slow clapping to applaud her straightforwardness.

'HAA! H'oooh, Tempe, _baby _- you do make me laugh.' Then he edged closer to the lens, and smiled affectionately at her: that creep-ed everyone out. Bones was the only one not to flinch. He asked sweetly as if he was generously offering her the choice and would seriously consider whatever her suggestion was, 'Where do _you _think I should release it?'

'On yourself,' she retorted as cold as an Artic iceberg, without an ounce of emotion. They all saw Pelant's nostrils flare, and his expression immediately cool and eyes narrow. Seeing his reaction, Sweets assessed his countenance. He realised Pelant was under the delusion that they had a mutual emotional bond of some kind. The fact that she wanted him dead obviously hurt him and messed up his ludicrous fantasy. Pelant obviously saw her as his personal play-thing and by scouring her with his initials made her his in some twisted way that had created a link between them. He suspected that Pelant had a similar delusional connection with Ange because of the way he flattered her computer skills.

Suddenly the huge image of Pelant was shrunk when the screen split into two with Parker's nifty idea. The second image that appeared was of the control room above ground. They all tried not to react to give away to Pelant what they were seeing but felt less intimidated when Pelant was reduced in size. Parker felt a covert praising tap to his back from Caroline. Now they could see Jack frantically tapping on a computer and Booth, with gun in hand, staring at the computer screen over his shoulder. That made them all feel a little less isolated and heartened that something was being done.

Pelant said, barely controlling his anger, 'You disappoint me, Tempe - like so many other _cunts _before you.' A ripple of shock at his foul expletive rippled through them all; it was a step too far for some.

Caroline bristled, and stood rigid, incensed by his crudity. She paced up to the screen, and barked, 'THAT'S IT! You filthy mouthed, murdering, perverted _freak _of nature! Say what ya wanna say or I'm coming up there and pound ya lights out with my fat fists.' She waggled her clenched fist at him like the defiant matriarch she was. Parker, again, was impressed, and almost smiled despite the increase in tension that zinged the atmosphere.

'Oooh. I wish you would, Blubber-Mama,' Pelant droned, sounding exasperated. 'Have _any _of you got the _balls _to come up and face me -?' he challenged, peering at all the cold hard expressions, 'or do you need a little more incentive..?' Pelant made the camera move off him and pan to focus on another image. They snatched their breaths, feeling heartbeats in their throats. That image was of a man kneeing on the grass beside him a couple of meters away. He was tightly gagged with his arms bound behind his back, and trembling. A pair of binoculars were discarded behind them. His head was bowed in a submissive gesture or as if he was praying for divine intervention. They could see he was thoroughly dowsed with gas from a can beside him. Pelant grabbed his grey pony tail, and snapped his head up with it, then flicked open his storm lighter, threatening to torch him. They all gasped in shock on seeing his face beaten black and blue and bleeding and his terrified eyes glare at the lighter Pelant held.

'Oh-my-God,' Bones muttered, immediately knowing who the shivering man was, just as Parker recognised the distressed man too, and gasped.

**(( **_'Jesus! That's Daniel - Wormwood. What's he doing here?' Booth glared at the screen, then spun on his toes, pushing his fingers through his hair in desperate conflict._

'_He's been watching over us -,' Jack revealed solemnly, still typing furiously, Booth's pupils dilated at Jack, stunned, 'unfortunately not very discreetly. I saw something when we were fishing at the lake a couple of days ago and checked it out later on the perimeter cameras. I deduced from your description of Daniel who he was - he must've been sent by Max.' That made perfect sense to Booth so he agreed with a sharp nod, biting his lip._

'_Can you cut Pelant's connection?' _

_Jack looked back to the computer, his fingers scurried across the keyboard as he informed, 'I gotta reset the system __**then **__I can send this email out.' Booth looked to the simple message he'd written, and nodded. 'Maybe another ten minutes?' he added a dodgy timeframe, grimacing, knowing that wasn't soon enough. _

_Booth shook his head, confirming Jack's thoughts. 'I gotta go out there. I can take Pelant out __**easy**__.' Jack was already shaking his head, and stopped typing, looking to Booth._

'_You __**can't**__, Booth. He's gotta have the VX on him, we __**know **__that -,' he urged him to see reason and the danger of his rash plan, 'even if we can't see it.'_

_Shaking his head, Booth dismissed that with his own logic, 'He won't use it - he'll wanna save it. He can't risk himself either.' Booth began to move towards the PIN-locked entrance door. _

_Jack stood quickly. 'Wait, Booth. He might be armed too, as soon as you step out, you're history. I won't let you go out there…' Booth grinned wryly, knowing Jack was no match for him. But Booth also knew Jack felt responsible for their predicament because he'd shutdown all options for outside communications last night._

_Bringing his hand down hard on Jack's shoulder, Booth said sentimentally and with admiration, 'Jack - I can't leave Daniel out there. We can't abandon him after what he's risked for us and for Max. Besides there's a chance we could get Pelant __**and **__the VX if I go out there.' Jack snapped his mouth shut, and narrowed his eyes, clearly thinking through a scheme that was forming in his mind… _

_Little did they know Pelant had heard every word of their exchange, so had the gathering in the lounge. _**))**

An edgy silence had descended over the Team in the lounge. But they watched impotent as Pelant grinned hard and wide, saying, 'I can hear ya, ya-know?' They saw a stunned Booth and Jack rush back to the computer to hear Pelant go on. 'Oh. Come out to play, Booth, _please_,' he said sycophantically, as Jack then split the screen on his computer just as Parker had done three floors below so they could see Pelant and the lounge now. Ange tapped her wrist, hoping Jack caught her gesture: she knew he had when he looked at his own watch, and nodded. He immediately tapped reset, knowing he had a small window of opportunity to send his email after his reboot and before the Net shut down.

Pelant chuntered on, 'Look - I do have a gun but I'm gonna throw it into the trees.' He pulled it out of the rear of his pants, and waved it obviously. 'I won't shoot ya, _promise_...' Then he tossed it hard off to his left with a grunt. Bones felt her stomach lurch with a sickening sense of foreboding, as she peered into Booth's stony face, and willed him not to go outside.

Sweets piped up suddenly, stepping forwards, 'Don't, Booth - It's a trap.'

Pelant sneered his annoyance for his intervention. 'Fuck it - I'm sick of waiting -,' he mumbled, then everyone saw him strike the flint on the lighter, and froze, their mouths dropping open, 'gonna cremate the wrinkly dude,' then casually tossed it between Daniel's trembling knees.

Immediately, with a evil flare if ignition, Daniel was engulfed in searing flame and further torment: his prayers not heard or answered. The consuming orange flames roared over his head making him a macabre human torch. They blistered his skin, crisping and blackening it as he shrieked his agonising prolonged death, writhing on the grass. A chorus of horrified voices screamed their shock, horror, distress and wrath.

Booth was the first to react. He scrambled to grab a fire extinguisher, then ran back towards the door. Jack was the second, he followed Booth, and got between him and the door. 'PIN!' Booth insisted, his eyes boring into Jack's. Panting rapidly, Jack shook his head bravely, defiant, hoping to save Booth from his suicide mission. 'GIVE-ME-THE-_FUCKING_-CODE!'

'HE'S-DEAD-ALREADY!' Jack blared back. Booth menacingly aimed his gun at his thigh. Jack's jaw slackened.

Pelant felt his groin tighten, and smiled, then disappeared from all screens. Genny snapped her hands to her head, and squatted. Caroline and Cam's eyes trickled unable to take their eyes from the abhorrent scene or blot out Daniel agonised wails. Bones stood statue-like, but Parker saw her hands trembling, one blindly reached for him, which he took, and stood beside her. The other gripped Ange's on her other side just as Ange shouted, 'One-zero-one-zero-one-zero-one!' Barely noticeable to anyone, except to Ange, Bones nodded; approving of her decision, although she knew what it might result in for her, Ange and Parker.

Booth was already taping it in before she finished telling him. The door sprung open and the stench of burning human flesh, gasoline and Daniel's mortal cries hit him like a hellish nightmare. Pelant was nowhere to be seen as he ran to Daniel, and opened up the extinguisher. It billowed clouds of smothering agent: swallowing and eventually subdued the angry, hungry flames. 'Oh. Sweet, Lord…' Booth muttered as the smoke cleared revealing the most horrific and grizzly sight.

Smoking, baked naked, and virtually skinless, Daniel was in a foetal position, charred, shaking violently, and whimpering, 'Sssee-ley-See-ley…' Sinking to his knees, Booth rolled his head on his shoulders, trying to stave off his tears, knowing what he was pleading for: a quicker, benign path to heaven. Jack knelt the other side of Daniel, and anxiously looked around for Pelant.

'I can't,' Booth said softly, handing his gun to Jack who aimed it around nervously. Reaching with a quivering black oozing hand, Daniel touched Booth's thigh. Booth took what was left of his hand in his as gently as a feather, and stoked it with compassion with the fingers of his other hand. Booth sent up his own plead to his merciful Lord to take the poor wretch fast, '_Please_, take him - _take _him…'

Daniel took his last agonised breath, and squeezed Booth's hand in gratefulness for being with him at his end. His violent shaking slowly ceased, and his charred weeping hand went limp on his last slow exhale. Booth crossed himself, bowing his head, then gently laid Daniel's hand on the scorched grass.

Bones looked to Parker and saw him cross himself too with tears trickling down his twitching cheeks. She pulled him close into her around his shoulders. He buried his face in her flank, and wrapped his arms around her waist, and squeezed.

'We better get back inside,' Jack said tenderly. Wiping his cheeks quickly, Booth nodded but was caught off guard when Pelant came pelting around the old barn. He ran like a black wind towards Jack from behind, not giving him time to get an aimed shot off. Pelant kicked the gun out of his hand as it fired harmlessly in the air. With a revengeful growl, Booth launched himself at Pelant over Daniel, but Pelant side-stepped his uncoordinated leap. Jack scurried to his feet but froze just like Booth when they saw what he was holding up in his gloved hand. Booth jolted forwards to attack again but Jack put his arm across him, and yelled his warning, '_NO_! NO, BOOTH!'

Togged up in a black plastic jumpsuit and hideous-looking gas mask, Pelant vigorously shook the can of Right Guard to mix the VX with the accelerant with his trigger finger on the nozzle. Pelant backed them up, aiming the nozzle at their faces, saying muffled behind the mask, 'Inside - get inside...'

**(( **_In the lounge Flynn grunted under his breath, 'Fuck-__**fuck**__-fuck,' seeing Pelant getting the upper hand yet again, twitching on his bare feet. _

_Caroline shoved him in the back. 'Go help 'em! Or give that gun to someone with some balls - Genny for example.' Flynn ignored her belittling comment, knowing he had to stay no matter what she said or thought of him. Parker surreptitiously looked to Flynn then to Genny, sniffing away his tears, wanting to hurl._

'_SSSHHH!' Ange ordered, straining to hear. _**))**

Pelant said, appealing for sympathy he wasn't going to get, 'I've had a _really _busy week and feeling quite exhausted. And on top of that Angela has really fucked me off, Jack. You can't keep your bitch in line, can ya? I find a kick in the stomach or right hook most effective when they disobey. You should try it.'

'Ange is her own woman - I love her just the way she is.'

'Of _course _you do - you brow-beaten, limp-dicked wimp,' Pelant insulted easily.

Everyone listened with bated breaths but they began to walk out of shot so the conversation was difficult to hear. Parker realised what was happening, and left Bones' tender embrace for the remote. He stood in front of her this time, seeing Pelant distracted so their was no need to hide what he was doing. He tapped the button to turn the camera as far as it would go so they could follow the events above ground.

'…And now she's killing off my _baby_. It was perfect, don't ya know? I've had some very interesting offers from the most _surprising _sources for it. But they're gonna be so pissed now so I've gotta disappear for a while. But _first_…' Pelant trailed off ominously. Again breaths were held and all eyes slipped to the second split to see them step into the bunker. Everyone's panic and agitation began to increase ten-fold the closer Pelant got, including Booth's. For him Pelant was already too close for comfort to his cherished family and was running out of options, so he made a decision.

From a safe distance from the men, Pelant gestured towards the elevator, and instructed, 'Get in.' Jack glanced to Booth, obviously having the same thoughts as him. They both shook their heads in unison, refusing to move any further, guessing Pelant wouldn't use the VX on them. And they weren't sure if what was in the can was indeed the deadly nerve agent or if the vaporiser would work. It was a calculated risk but one which they were prepared to take to save the ones they loved.

Pelant sighed heavily: his exhale making him sound like Darth Vader when it exited clean through the long vent that hung down at the front; that made him look like a terrifying black elephant in rubber boots. '_Really _- you're gonna put up a fight _now_?' he whinnied, bored by their stand off. Booth snatched his eyes around, looking for something, anything he could use to beat the crap out of him. 'GET IN THE - _ELEVATOR_!' Pelant wailed manically at them, snapping from congenial to insane in a heartbeat. Everyone underground flinched. Parker instinctively leant back into Bones, and felt her arms slip around his shoulders protectively, unable to take his eyes of the drama.

'Fuck off, you ball-less psycho,' Jack sneered, then casually turned to his computer to send his message to Hacker, knowing more than enough time had elapsed for the reset to run its cycle. For all his bravado Jack was trembling and close to losing his composure, but knew he had no other option but to sacrifice himself and was prepared to do just that if need be.

Pelant didn't move, but saw Booth grin arrogantly, and his fists start to clench. 'Ball-less, eh?' Pelant asked rhetorically with a hint of sarcasm but more evil than witless humour. Darting to Jack, Pelant grabbed his bicep, and spun him, simultaneously spraying the vapour directly into his face. Booth leapt on Pelant's back, toppling him, they went down with a crunching thud to a crescendo of encouragement from three floors down. Booth fought to rip off his ugly mask. Pelant rolled, and just sprayed Booth's face with a cloud too which blinded him as it was so close. He snapped his hands to his face, and attempted to wipe the stinging vapour from his face and eyes.

Only seconds passed before the first symptoms began to manifest in Jack. He began to cough, his eyes watered profusely and had a mortal epiphany; it was VX and the vaporiser had worked perfectly - and they had no more that minutes to live. His mind went into overdrive with the surge of adrenalin for survival. Booth symptoms started to match Jack's but his mind returned to his army training from the Gulf War.

For the last time ever Booth heard Parker yell, "_DAD! DAD!" _Everyone was petrified now but clearly not Pelant.

**(( **_Ange's knees gave way, and collapsed onto her buttocks onto the carpet. Bones dropped down with her, pulling Parker down too. But he ripped himself out of her clutch, and stood pumped, and staring wide-eyed at the screen. _**)) **

Pelant dragged a coughing and spluttering Jack to the elevator, not before Jack valiantly fought Pelant off for a fraction of a second to hit the send key or what he thought was the send key. Retaking hold of him, Pelant stuffed him in the elevator. Jack crashed to the floor in a heap, coughing uncontrollably, feeling as if his lungs were imploding. Pelant then returned for, an incapacitated, Booth whose lungs and heart were near bursting point as he struggled to breathe through his violent coughing. Once Booth was in the elevator too Pelant calmly hit the button for it to descend: not getting in with them. The doors closed with a swish and the elevator descended into the floor. It was then that the whole Team realised what Pelant's plan had been all along when the bunker PA system kicked in, and a female voice stated calmly:

"_**Warning, warning - contaminate detected - Please wait while it is identified - Do not panic. Bunker lock-down in progress**_…"

Small red strobe lights began to flash around every room and corridor in the bunker and an intermittent high-pitched siren sounded. Pelant grinned, and stepped back over the threshold into the sun. He closed the heavy door behind him, it locked with a satisfying thud, then he walked away as if taking a Sunday stroll, casually dropping the spent can to the ground...

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**A/N: **Nope - too freaked out. Check back for the next instalment of **Pelant **if you're so inclined:coming in a couple of days - or less. ;) Hugs & love, Lebxeb. XX.


	29. Chapter 29

**Disclaimer: **All characters portrayed here are fictional. No infringement of rights intended. Bones & its characters are a product of Fox Inc. & not mine. No financial gain is received from this work of fiction.

**Summary: **Pelant has struck at the heart of the Team again. Can anyone save them now? "Nothing is what it seems…" - Seeley Booth.

**Rating: M **

**Thanks to those without PM**: **Jsboneslover**: Thx 4 the trust! Yes, Bones got some balls! *blush, snigger* Massive Thx 4 UR kind support & generosity. XX. **JenE**: Yep, evil is right. BIG thx & warm hugs. **Rangers042376**: *snigger* Deep breaths help & vodka. *wink* Thx & XX. **Boneslady**: *Gasp* Soz about the 7.7! Didn't mean 2 scare u more. Keep safe. Daisy - Yes, left clues scattered err'where. Sex - Wooboy, *blush*. Here's the nxt, as promised. Huge thx again 4 the fab comments. XX. **Guest 9/5/12**: 2 quote ur 3 word review: "_I hate you…"_ - WoW. I take that as a HUGE compliment. Thx **U**. Hugs & more XX. **Guest 9/5/12**: 2 quote u: "_Evil cliff-hanger._" - Indeed, *evil cackle* Thx & XX. **Guest 9/5/12**: 2 quote u: "_Daisy Bionic Woman._" *snigger* Yep, I _did _leave clues... Thx 4 stopping by. XX.

Right, on with the show…

**Pelant**

**Chapter XXIX**

**08.55AM**

**0 Hrs 12 Mins 3 Secs Until Net Shutdown**

**Communal Lounge**

… "**Waiting - waiting… Contaminate identified and confirmed - VX - Nerve agent. Remain where you are…"**

'We know _that _you silly bitch!' Caroline snapped at the voice, angered by the obvious suggestion, and ridiculous airy tone of the vamp-ish voice. 'Tell us what's happening!' Half expecting her to reply like the computer on the Star Trek episodes. Picking Ange up off the floor from under the arms, Caroline placed her into a chair; her actions effortless with the rush of adrenalin. Bones stayed on the floor between Ange's legs, not trusting her limbs to hold her weight, feeling her heart pounding with Booth's but unable to see him. She tucked her knees up under her chin, and wrapped her arms around her legs. The few sightless seconds were the epitome of torture to both Ange and Bones. Ange leant forwards, snapping her arms around Bones' shoulders, and they clasped hands in solidarity for their joint pain and fear; hanging onto the hope in one another.

Parker ignored Caroline's question with his eyes staring at the screen, as he changed the view to inside the elevator with the remote. Nobody dare interfere with Parker who had control of the remote down to a T. '_DAD_!' he yelled, with tears streaming down his flush cheeks, seeing them both shaking and coughing, clearly in pain and distress. 'Dad, can you hear me?!' They all froze, and went silent to see Booth manage to nod several times. Jack suddenly spewed vomit over himself, and gasped to breathe, his trembling increasing alarmingly. 'The elevator will stop at the decontamination suite! Get into it quick!' Parker ordered, panic lacing his voice. Booth hooked his arm around Jack's ready to haul him and himself into the decontamination suite.

Everyone could see it was a huge effort just to do that, and shouted their encouragement to him. Booth looked up to the camera through the slits that remained of his streaming, puffy eyes. Bones knew he was speaking words of love, fortitude and comfort to her soul, knowing what she was going to witness in the next few minutes. She already knew what was going to happen; she'd read the disturbing literature, seen black and white VT of tests conducted on rhesus with VX. Those images, although seen a long time ago, came back to her from the dark recesses of her memory, and sickened her even now. They could all see the heinous effects ravage the men, weakening, contorting, killing them, second by evil second.

The bunker voice announced as the doors of the elevator opened, "**Remove all clothing and footwear and place in the incinerator to your left. Please try to stay calm**."

They all gasped in shock when the doors opened to the decontamination suite except Parker; he'd been given the full tour by Jack when he'd arrived and knew exactly what to expect. The empty, three sided glass room with a stainless steel floor was already prepared for their arrival. Deafening jets of water pounded the floor and cascades of spray billowed filling the containment area, almost drowning out the voice. Parker became even more animated now. 'Get out of the elevator, Dad! Ya-gotta-hurry!' He jiggled about on his toes, urging him to move: understanding speed was of the essence. Everyone else fussed and twitched, imploring him to do as Parker had instructed. Booth crawled onto the puddle-d floor, then dragged Jack out too, then vomited with his effort and out-of-control, escalating symptoms. The elevator doors closed and the water began to accelerate from the powerful shower jets. It felt like they were being stabbed by the blades of freezing water. Then vents snapped opened in the ceiling and motors revved up huge fans above: that sent a hurricane blast of air downwards. Then shocking everyone twice over: making them flinch: the steel floor clunked loudly as several long grates opened sharply to drain the cleansing cold water away. The terrifying cacophony notched up their tension to snapping point, tapping out their heartbeats at a thundering 200 bpm. 'GET-NAKED - YA-GOTTA-BURN-YA-CLOTHES!' Booth shook his head, and slumped as if giving up under the acute battering and buffering, and accepting their fate. But he wasn't giving up; surrender wasn't in his psyche especially with his desperate family watching on.

'Dru - drug!' Booth managed, knowing if they didn't get the antidote soon it would make no difference if they removed their clothes or not; they would be dead before then. Just then the calm voice returned over the frightening scream of the water and air that pummelled the men slumped over the guzzling drains side by side:

"**VX antidote dispensed. Please administer immediately and try to stay calm. Decontamination in progress."**

Parker screamed at the top of his voice: nearly cracking it, 'IN THE BOX, DAD. BEHIND YOU IN THE BOX BY THE ELEVATOR! HURRY!' Booth rolled his eyes towards a steel handle, and with Herculean effort, heaved himself towards it. Jack's eyes rolled, and tried to focus them but his mucus membranes were so swollen and stinging he couldn't. Booth pulled the handle, and reached inside the steel bucket. He fumbled, feeling the auto injectors he'd been trained to use but couldn't quite reach them, or see much because his pupils had narrowed to pin-pricks.

'Booth, _please_, Baby, _fight_,' Bones whispered her plea, squeezing Ange's hands. The horror of watching him die was killing her too. Her heart palpitated; her lungs burned, and rasped in agony, and her body trembled like a leaf. She heard Ange sob Jack's name next to her ear, and felt her bury her wet face in her neck; unable to watch.

'Come on, Booth! You can do it!' Cam shouted her encouragement, glaring at the grizzly terrifying scene. Seeing him struggling, Sweets went to assist them, and tried to open the elevator but it wouldn't open, then he tried to door of the lounge. That wouldn't budge either. He realised the bunker lock-down had sealed each floor and they were stranded, unable to help them. His frustration mounted when they all saw a familiar, traumatised face appear at the glass of the decontamination suite: it was Daisy.

Banging on the glass, she instructed, 'Booth! Its Daisy. To the _left_, left a bit - you're _nearly _there!' while limping around the glass outside, and watching him try to retrieve the injections through the incessant, hampering deluge. Daisy then shouted her plead to the camera she knew everyone could see and hear her, 'What's the override? Let me in - I can _help _them!' Jack shook his head, understanding she wanted to be let in and risk her life to save them. Just then Booth grunted with his effort, and picked out the US Army standard issue ATNAA's that had been dispensed. Booth thanked God for Jack's attention to detail and paranoia because he'd given them an unexpected thread of a lifeline.

There was a collective detonation of anxiety and urgent shouts for him to hurry as Jack began to convulse violently in excruciating agony. Flat on his back but with limbs rigid, his muscles cramped, and he began frothing at the mouth through clenched teeth. Genny gripped Thierry's hand, turning her face into his chest, not wanting to watch Jack's last ghastly moments. Ange looked up to see Jack contorted horribly, wracked in agony, and whimpered.

"**Warning: Lethal levels of VX detected. 12 parts per million - decreasing."**

'They're-_not_-gonna-make-it,' Flynn said with certainty, almost arrogantly.

Incensed, Caroline clipped him around the back of the head for airing that. '_Sit_-down 'n' _shut_-up.' Flynn withered, and sat down on the edge of the couch away from everybody, wringing his hands.

'INJECT HIM SOLDIER!' Cam balled her order at Booth, judging that he was losing coordination and mental focus. It worked.

Sensing Jack's chronic rigor, and knowing his agony was moments from him, Booth lurched towards him, and with a sharp stabbing motion he thumped the antidote into his thigh through his jeans. Bones knew the pralidoxine and atropine mix wasn't enough, so yelled, 'THE DIAZEPAM TOO! _BOTH SHOTS_, BOOTH!' She remembered all too well seeing bones snap during this phase of the nerve agent attack: so it was imperative to give a relaxant to hopefully avoid that macabre torture.

"**Warning: Administer injections immediately or death will occur. Push red button if more antidote is required. Try to stay calm**…"

Daisy manically tapped in any digit PIN she could think of into the pad, hoping to get lucky. Then she had a brainwave, and tapped in: one zero one zero one zero one. The door opened into the decontamination area, and without care for herself, she hobbled in, slamming the door behind her amid the flashing lights and pandemonium.

'Oh. _Jesus_…' Sweets whimpered, witnessing her lifesaving dash, feeling his eyes singe for her blind courage. She fell to the floor, and grabbed the auto injectors from Booth just as he started to convulse too.

'Get out,' Booth groaned futilely, his body not his own to control now and in unimaginable pain. Ange felt Bones stiffen in her arms, and hold her breath.

Ignoring him, like lightening Daisy stabbed the Diazepam into Jack's other thigh. Then efficiently injected Booth with both too, one in each cramping thigh simultaneously.

'OH - WELL DONE, BIONIC BABE!' Caroline praised. Ange gripped Bones ever more tightly, knowing this was far from over. Bones felt Ange's heartbeat rumble against her back, and tears poured from her own eyes. Unfortunately the diazepam was administered too late for Jack as Daisy saw his thumb, index and middle fingers pop like twigs upwards: one after the other; as the muscles and ligaments shortened on his left hand. Ange and Bones slammed their eyes shut, feeling the torture with him amid horrified gasps from the onlookers.

'I'll get more!' Daisy said to Booth, pushing the button. But no more dropped down from the automatic drug dispenser behind the wall into the bucket.

"**Warning. Assessment: Lethal level of VX, eight parts per million - decreasing." **

'Close the bucket-close the bucket, Daisy!' Parker instructed manically, remembering what Jack had explained how the system worked. She slammed it shut, then slapped the button again. Daisy heard them drop into the bucket, and opened it to get them.

"**VX antidote dispensed. Please administer immediately. If symptoms persist after ten minutes repeat full treatment and seek medical assistance. Try to stay calm."**

Booth's convulsions began to subside almost immediately but could sense Jack wasn't responding as well as him to the lifesaving cocktail of drugs. He hauled himself to Jack, spitting and coughing en route, and held him in his arms as best he could. Jack's swollen eyelids prevented him from seeing him, but he knew who was holding him. He tried to smile his thanks, but needed to breathe so that attempt failed. 'Tell - tell Ange,' Jack mumbled what he thought was going to be his last words. His tongue was gashed and bled where he'd bitten through it with his savage convulsions which still hadn't completely subsided.

'She knows - she knows,' Booth comforted breathlessly, rocking him in his aching arms, then spat mucus and water out of his mouth again. The Team saw Daisy inject herself in one thigh as a precaution, then crawl to them to remove their contaminated clothing. As she began Booth tried to assist her. 'Stay _still_, Booth, let me do it - I've always wanted to do this,' she said with a wry, tender smile. Sweets grinned, and slowly dropped his eyes away, taking a seat finally next to an emotionally exhausted, hung-over Caroline: who instantly took his hand, and squeezed it. He was touched by her sweet mothering and near smile, suspecting that was for her comfort too.

They all watched Booth start to fade from consciousness as the diazepam began to kick in but saw him gallantly fight to stay awake. Daisy didn't take long stripping Booth, and began on Jack. Getting his sodden jeans off was the most difficult as they clung to his skin and he still quaked. Once they were completely naked Daisy put all the clothes in the incinerator, and slammed the door shut. There was a _whoosh _sound from inside as they were sucked up and away.

As an edgy calm now descended the bunker-babe spoke again. Everyone looked up, around, and at one another as the lights stopped flashing and turned to solid amber from red. Then the siren stopped but it didn't alleviate their tension much.

"**Attention. Level three, secure - level two, secure - level one, under review - ground level, contaminated. Please wait…. Bunker lock-down successful. Internal power source engaged."**

'What does all that mean?' Thierry asked in the hesitant lull.

Parker, still staring at his disfigured father, answered him in a matter-of-fact way, 'The bunker has gone into self-sufficiency mode. The reactor has engaged and will last for about fifteen years. We're free to enter all floors.'

Thierry then asked, feeling his heart drop to his weakened knees, 'You mean… we're trapped down here for _fifteen _years?' He gulped, and stared into Genny's harrowed eyes. His next thought was for his daughter, and felt his burn with tears.

'Something like that,' Parker said unconcerned by the prospect, then walked towards the screen, and said to Daisy, 'I think you have to scrub them, Miss Daisy!' She looked up, and nodded.

"**Warning. Assessment: Lethal level of VX - six parts per million - decreasing."**

'I'm still concerned for Jack - he hasn't responded so well. Shall I administer another shot?!' Cam stepped beside Parker, studiously studying him with a medics eyes. Jack still trembled and was struggling to breath whereas Booth was breathing much easier and didn't look in excessive pain. 'I don't want to OD him,' she added nervously.

'No. Give it a few more minutes to take effect, Daisy.' She nodded, grateful for the external advice and backup, looking around for something to scrub them down with.

"**Attention: Decontamination scrub and implements dispensed." **

Daisy looked positively excited by that information, and quickly crawled to the steel bucked again, taking out the contents, and closed it back up. Putting on the scouring glove on her left hand, she squeezed the scrub onto it, and began to exfoliate Jack's hair, face, neck and chest diligently. Booth put on another pair with his arm still comfortingly around Jack, and assisted her but was much slower and uncoordinated as he was virtually doing it blind. 'Jack is _very _hairy - I suspect the VX has clung to him more than you,' she told, the almost hair-less, Booth.

Coughing throughout her scrub of them, and regularly spitting away his excessive mucus, Booth reminded, 'Gotta remem-ber - this water - is freez-ing,' with a shaky smile for Daisy. Blushing, she started to chuckle, knowing he was covering for their withered man-hoods she was about to scrub down. Everybody grinned at his jovial remark; taking that as a positive sign for his rapid recovery. However Bones wasn't so quick to relax; she wouldn't; not until they were given the all clear.

Then they saw Jack shift against Booth's chest, and say something which they couldn't hear. However Daisy heard his feeble croak. 'Feel-ing much - much better…' Jack trailed off, then started to fit again in Booth's arms: shocking everybody again…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**09.07AM**

**0 Hrs 0 Mins 0 Secs**

**Jasper Engaged**

**NET SHUT DOWN IN PROGRESS**

**Five Minutes Until Worm Eradication**

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Moments Later**

**Above Ground **

Nikolay ran towards the old barn, seeing the knurled wooden door open and a dark smoking mass just outside it. He hoped he wasn't too late. But as he neared, he spotted a can of Right Guard discarded on the jade grass via the motif glinting in the sun. His heart stalled, and slowed his pace. It was then that he smelt a familiar stench of charred flesh, and gave the can a wide berth, walking over to the smoking remains of what he judged was a human male. 'Oh. God. vhat have _you _done - vhat have _I _done?' he asked himself, harrowed by the result of his vengeance and sin. He gulped to swallow the bile that had risen to his throat, and looked to the open barn door. Seeing a red light flash intermittently and a camera above the steel door just inside the wooden one. He waved frantically at the camera lens, shouting, 'Hello! Hello! Can you hear me?! Agent Genny Shaw?!'

He jumped, and stepped back when a woman's silky voice instructed: "**Warning: This area is contaminated - Nerve agent VX present. Leave the area immediately."**

'I need to speak to someone - I know v'ere Pelant is going to release it. Is Agent Shaw or Henry down there?' Nikolay waited for a reply, expecting her to answer him.

"**Warning: This area is contaminated - Nerve agent VX present. Leave the area immediately." **

'Yes, I understand. You _must _listen to me! I know v'ere Pelant is going to release the VX…!' he shouted, getting frustrated, not noticing three armoured Hummers race up the drive of the estate behind him. They rapidly emptied of armed FBI and Apricot agents that fanned out, taking up positions in the tress. The sexy voice spoke again:

"**Warning: This area is contaminated - Nerve agent VX present. Leave the area immediately." **It was with that repeated statement that Nikolay realised he was talking to an automated machine, and spun away frustrated. He walked towards the can of Right guard, and looked at it laying on the grass. Swallowing hard, he picked it up: not caring if he became contaminated as he knew he deserved to die for the events he'd set in motion. Then he heard another voice: this time it was a male voice, and a stern one at that. It was hollered through a megaphone.

'FBI - FREEZE!' Nikolay's heart soared: by a quirk of fate he'd stumbled across the people he need to talk to. With his surge of relief he ran towards the man holding the megaphone to his mouth.

'FBI! I'm Nikolay!' He continued to pelt towards them, waving the spent can. 'He's used it! There's a dead man!'

'FREEZE!' Hacker narrowed his eyes at the shouting man, and thought he heard an accent but wasn't sure. 'Hold your fire,' he said in his walkie-talkie to stand down his men and the Apricot team in full HAZMAT suit's and masks aiming their weapons.

'Sir, he's got a can of some sort in his hand and I'm pretty sure he's foreign…' Hacker's subordinate informed with a distinct nervousness in his tone, hiding in the woods. Hacker knew what he was implying. 'Shall we take him out?'

'_No_. Wait. Let's hear what he's saying first. Identify the can in his hand,' Hacker gave his order with authority, staining to hear Nikolay.

'I'm Nikolay! I've got the VX can he used!' Nikolay panted, trotting now as he weakened, and held the can aloft. 'I know v'ere he's going to release it…!'

Commander Apricot Seven came over the radio this time, 'Subject says he's Nikolay, he's _used _the VX and is going to release it. That's a direct threat, Hacker. I'm taking the shot.'

Hacker barked back, 'NO! Stand down! Confirm-_confirm_!' A shot rang out across the emerald grass and Nikolay dropped to his knees, swayed, then fell forwards and flat, the harmless can tumbling from his hand. Gurgling blood seeped from between his lips, and a gaping hole in his chest. Nikolay knew he was dieing, just not the way he expected, and thought this was a better way than he'd envisioned. He also felt the cool fresh grass on his face: the lush scent invaded him, reminding him of his blissful childhood in the meadows of his beloved Belarus, and smiled.

Hacker ran to his side, and knelt down. _'Jesus_,' he cussed, seeing the high-powered round had torn right through him from front to back from the trigger-happy Apricot Commander.

Nikolay looked into Hacker's eyes through his mask, and reached for it, pulling him down to whisper, 'I know - v'ere _he _vill - strike next…'

Hacker's eyes widened. 'Where, Nikolay, _where_?'

'Tell, Helga, I, I, tried tooo, make her proud, da?'

'Yes, I will - promise. But _where_, Nikolay, tell me where?' Nikolay pulled him closer, and whispered in Hacker's ear… Hacker leant back as Nikolay slumped, and gurgled out his last breath through a bubble of scarlet blood that popped over his blue-tinged lips.

'What did he say?' Apricot Seven asked, kicking the can further away, clearly unconcerned at killing him, coming closer to hover over the dead Russian.

Standing like an oak, Hacker grit his jaw and fist. He swiped a right hook across Apricot Seven's mask, stunning him, then ripped his mask off, screaming in his face, 'He DIED before he told me, you _fucking _asshole!' Panic-stricken, thinking he'd been exposed to the deadly agent, Apricot Seven backed off, grabbing his mask, and frantically put it back on. Hacker shoved him over onto the grass, and pounded away toward the Hummers, leaving everyone on Hacker's team glaring at him, hoping he had been contaminated.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Two Minutes Later**

**Inside A Hummer**

Alone in the vehicle, Hacker tapped in a secure number on his cell with his thumb, while ripping off his mask. Luggia answered agitatedly, '_Hacker, did you stop Jasper?_'

'No, we got here too late as we suspected we might. The bunker is locked down tight. We can't get in. Its too late now anyway,' he said, looking at his watch, knowing Jasper had been successful and Pelant's worm was dieing as they spoke.

"_Sssshit! You-know-who isn't gonna be happy,_" Luggia vented, staring into the smiling, sparkling eyes of Professor Liskov. She was obviously pleased that Angela's Jasper had thwarted all interested parties in the pursuit of Pelant's dangerous worm.

'If you ask my _personal _opinion -' Hacker went on, 'I think Angela did the _right _thing by us all. But that's not the end of it… VX _has _been released here. My team are securing the area and estate. Plus I've got a burnt corpse to identify. And Guess what else? _Nikolay _was here waving a goddamn can of Right Guard. He wanted to tell us something but - Apricot _shot _him against my _direct _order…'

There was a stony silence, then Luggia asked tentatively, "_You don't think that was - deliberate, do you?_"

Hacker sighed strongly. 'Anything's possible. I don't know who to trust anymore.'

Looking at a printout he'd just been handed, Luggia informed, "_Well, I've got something to tell you too - we've just been handed an email from Jack Hodgins, sent ten minutes ago. It reads: __**"Pelant at Lever's estate bunker. Need immediate armed assistance. Whole Team underground." **__…"_

Hacker had a frightening thought given that information: Pelant could still be lurking but doubted that. 'Oh. Crap. He must've sent it before the Net went down.' Luggia nodded. 'At least we know why the bunker is locked down - its the VX. They could all be dead down there along with Pelant.'

"_Umm. Maybe. My guess, he released the VX to trap them to keep them out of the way. Or worst case scenario he has killed them_."

'Either way, we've gotta get in there fast or at least attempt to make contact with them.'

"_Agreed. Can we blow it open?"_

Hacker laughed ironically, 'Ha. I doubt that very much - It was built to withstand a _nuclear _blast. Anyway, try to contact them.' Luggia nodded. Hacker watched as one of his Agents came to the vehicle's window, and held up a two clear evidence bags with handguns in each, and sagged. Hacker made the leap immediately, 'My guys have just found Booth's firearm and another.' Then he postulated, 'Pelant must have drawn him out, attacked him with the VX, then with the door open, shoved him back in - entombing them all…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! **

**Communal Lounge**

With them all unaware of events on the surface and other more pressing things to worry about, the Team watched in rapt, chronic silence as Daisy performed CPR on Jack. She was desperately trying to keep his heart beating until the lethal threat had passed and she could get him into the infirmary proper. He'd already had two rounds of drugs but his weakened heart had failed under the enormous strain.

Ange appeared almost catatonic, and rocked herself backwards and forwards, unable to blink or speak with her eyes fixed on Jack. Bones felt her arms crush around her chest getting tighter and tighter as Daisy struggled relentlessly, defiantly, panting with her own Herculean efforts. Bones' eyes poured along with all the other woman. She feared that it was all to no avail, and her heart splintered for her best friend who'd lost, not only her mother, but feared for her sanity if she lost Jack too.

"**Warning. Assessment: VX - one part per million."**

'She said that already - why hasn't it decreased again?' Genny queried in a confused, anxious way.

Bones realised the reason first, and stiffened to say, 'Daisy, you have to incinerate your robe and scrub down!' Daisy immediately looked to the camera, but still pumping hard over Jack's heart. 'Stop CPR, strip, burn, scrub!' Bones insisted.

'He'll die if I stop!' she said, almost exhausted, and terrified to obey, not wanting his death on her conscience.

'Yes -,' Bones agreed, 'but we can _restart _his heart! The water temperature is low so his heart has slowed anyway. It's like he'll be in a hypothermic coma. _Trust _me, Daisy, we _can _resuscitate him!'

'That's right,' Parker jumped in. 'There's a defib-thingy machine in the infirmary! Once the threat is gone we can come and help you!' Cam was already running out of the lounge, and spiralling up towards the infirmary. Flynn pelted after her so did Thierry, needing to do something than just watch. Genny and the rest watched as Booth dozily put more scrub on his gloves in preparation to help scrub her down.

'Angela?! You tell me - what do you want me to do?!' weeping, Daisy asked after filling Jack's lungs again, and then pulling one arm out of her drenched, heavy terry-towelling robe. Booth tugged earnestly at it to assist while Daisy refused to stop CPR until she had a reply from Angela.

Ange just kept rocking, and clinging to Bones but not answering her. Understanding her conflict, Bones gently whispered to her, 'Ange, this is the only way. The faster she does it the better chance Jack has. Tell her - she _needs _you to tell her.' Ange swallowed and blinked, looked to a startled Michael in the playpen, then took a deep breath for courage.

All eyes turned to Ange, willing her to give her consent, 'Do it, Daisy,' she said weakly.

'DO IT- SHE SAID DO IT!' Genny hollered, the airless tension too much for her to bare. Daisy ripped off the robe and quickly stuffed it in the incinerator, slamming it shut. She heard the satisfying whoosh again. Booth was already scrubbing her back and arms with a massive surge of energy, the last of it. She began scrubbing herself too just as Cam, Thierry and Flynn appeared at the glass doors of the decontamination suite. Jack lay hideously motionless. Cam pushed a gurney to the men in preparation for them to put Jack on it. Then she set about charging the defibrillator. She ran around the room sorting out drugs, heat pads; saline drips; everything she was going to need.

Bones said to Caroline, 'I'm going up to help - she'll need me. Take care of Ange.' Caroline was on her feet and next to Ange in a split second, holding her possessively, protectively. Then Bones charged out of the room, and ran as fast as she could closely followed by Parker. She heard his footsteps, and reached back for him with her hand while still running. He surged, grabbed it, and they ran together up to the infirmary.

"**Attention. Assessment: VX - zero parts per million. Decontamination complete. Please seek medical attention.**"

Nobody sighed with relief in the infirmary even though the showers, fans and the deafening sounds slowly subsided. The warning lights turned to green and the men charged into the decontamination area. They picked up Jack and put him on the gurney, then wheeled him to Cam. Daisy collapsed flat, breathing heavily, and looked to Booth laying beside her. 'Now we're even,' she said softly. He grinned, fumbled for her hand, and nodded as he squeezed it hard with abyssal gratefulness. Then he felt hands again and he was raised onto another gurney, and wheeled out on it.

'Thought we'd lost ya,' Flynn said to him, just as he felt lips on his. Utterly confused he almost pushed Flynn away then realised it must be Bones as the lips were warm and tender, and plump with love and colossal relief. He breathed in, and then he knew it was her; he could still smell himself on her.

She pledged sweetly against his swollen lips, 'Love you-love you. Thank you for not dieing.' Booth smiled, feeling her caress his cheek and the smile in her tender declaration. 'I'll be back in just a minute. I've got to…' she trailed off as he nodded, knowing she had to help with Jack, then he felt a fragile hand slip into his.

'Oh. Dad, I thought…' Parker said pitifully, then paused as he began to sob, bury his face in his neck, and grip him tightly. Booth curled an arm around his shoulders, and held him as firmly as he could, still unable to see clearly when his eyes burned again. Not with VX this time but with true emotional tears.

'Parker, you were _amazing_. I'm so proud of you - so proud,' he told him in a deeply moved way. 'H-how's Jack doin'?' Parker looked over to Bones and Cam though his streaming tears. Booth didn't let go of him.

Bones was hurriedly putting up a drip, then injected him just as Cam shouted, 'Clear!

Bones lifted her hands off Jack immediately: a jolt of electricity shot through him, then Bones began again to give her orders calmly and quietly to Flynn and Thierry, while she put an oxygen mask over Jack's mouth, and linked him up to the heart monitor, 'Blankets, heat pads, quickly.' They did as instructed. Bones then turned her back to the camera to shield Ange from what she was about to do. Taking Jack's contorted hand, she quickly, and without any visible emotion, pulled outwards, and snapped back into place each of his fingers in quick succession. But Parker saw her actions, and winced on each snap, however noting Jack hadn't felt anything. Once set back Bones then gave the nod to Cam. With paddles at the ready and charged, she nodded back, then shouted her warning again, '_Clear!_' Parker was astounded by the two women; it appeared as if they'd done this sort of thing everyday of their lives.

Another thudding shock went through Jack's heart; his body and limbs lurched on the gurney. Booth felt Parker jolt in his arms, then nestled his head back in his neck. Booth held him tight, whispering, 'He's gonna make it - he has to. Say a prayer, Son.'

Parker told him quietly, 'I am, Dad.' Booth could hear an erratic sound from the machine, scuffling and muffled voices of concern, so held Parker a little tighter. Sweets had arrived with another robe to wrap around Daisy, and helped her to a chair. She sat down, anxiously watching Bones and Cam work in perfect harmony and symmetry, while Sweets wrapped his arms around her to warm her up.

'Charging-t'three-hundred. _Clear!_' Another thud was heard then the machine began to beat in a regular, familiar reassuring way. It was only then that there was a collective sigh of immense relief, especially when Jack groaned, rolling his head: back with the living. Cam looked to Bones then to Booth. 'I've got this now - you see to Booth.' Bones nodded, and instantly left her for him. 'He's gonna be ok, Ange,' Cam said towards the camera but the door opened and in came a distraught Ange supported by Caroline. They came over slowly, obviously not convinced. Ange was steered to a chair beside Jack, and took his hand, staring into his face.

Hearing Jack mumbling, Daisy straightened her back, and shone a smile, then sunk into Sweets arms, and was promptly smothered with congratulatory, pride-filled kisses. Booth felt Parker smile on his neck and more tears trickle down his neck. Then he felt delicate hands toying with his: liquid being injected into the back of his hand, then another wet soft face tucked into his neck. He put his other arm around her, and began to weep with joy that he was loved so dearly and alive.

"**Attention…" **

Everyone froze, except Caroline. 'Not _again_. Please tell me you're letting us out. I've got cats to feed, ya-know? They'll be crapping in the pantry and shreddin' my unmentionables by now,' Caroline muttered, dropping a hip with exasperation.

"**Incoming message from unknown source. *click* - **_"Tempe - Tempe, are you there?"_

Everyone looked at each other with widening eyes. Bones replied with a tremolo quivering her suddenly frail voice, 'Dad…?'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**A/N: **Y'aaay! They're alive! Max is back too - or is he? Nikolay has bitten the grass and taken his secret to the grave - or did he? Can they get out of the bunker and chase after Pelant before he strikes with the remaining can of VX? Was there another reason why Apricot shot Nikolay or was it a genuine mistake under pressure? Who can Hacker trust now? Will Caroline's cats die of starvation or survive on her unmentionables for fifteen years? Discover what happens next in the subsequent chapters of **Pelant,** rapidly on the way. Hugs, Lebxeb XX.


	30. Chapter 30

**Disclaimer: **All characters portrayed here are fictional. No infringement of rights intended. Bones & its characters are a product of Fox Inc. & not mine. No financial gain is received from this work of fiction.

**Summary: **Is it possible Pelant will get away with his murderous rampage? "Nothing is what it seems…" - Seeley Booth.

**Rating: M **

**Major thanks to all reviewers of the previous chapters. Individual thanks coming soon. Bear with…**

**Pelant**

**Chapter XXX**

**Bunker Infirmary**

… 'Dad… is that you?'

Max could hear the uncertainly of belief, cautious hope and reserved obliterating emotion cracking her voice. He grinned understanding all of those doubts and emotions, and cooed lovingly, "_Yeah, its me." _Bones snatched a breath to fill her emptied lungs, and her eyes leaked profusely yet again, but for a whole other reason; she heard Christine blithely giggle in the background then mumbling carefree as she scrunched Max's cheeks. Everyone's shock turned to equal joy, and smiled teary-eyed at the disintegrating, ravaged parents. Booth gripped Bones, and blindly kiss her hand a thousand times; his residual pain vanishing the instant Christine's bubbly coos caressed his heart. "_Can you hear her?"_

Bones could barely speak, having enormous trouble keeping her composure. 'Ar-humm. Yes, yes,' she managed, looking into Booth swollen smiling lips, and leaking eyes, and nuzzled into his neck with pure joy, and they wept together.

"_Oooh. Honey - don't cry. She's doin' great - we're doin' __**real **__great. She's looking more like you __**every **__day." _Bones could only nod in reply, clinging to Booth for dear life and sanity.

Seeing them breakdown and strain to just listen to Christine make a beautiful symphony of happy coos, and unable to contain his excitement either, Parker interrupted, 'Hi, Max! Mom and Dad can't talk right now - they're like _major _happy.'

"_Haa. Yeah, I guessed that. Parker, __**duuude**__! So good to hear your voice. How is everyone?_"

Parker lost a little of his smile, looking around the room at all the dishevelled, battered and harrowed faces. 'Umm. Not so good really,' he understated, then didn't hold back when he explained further, 'Pelant attacked the bunker. Dad and Jack nearly died from VX poisoning…' There was a prolonged silence from everyone where only Christine could be heard; the only bright spot lighting their darkness.

"… _**Jesus**__, when?"_

'About err, twenty minutes ago. Daniel he's, he's dead, Max - Pelant set him alight - it was _horrible_.'

Taking a few seconds to digest that gut-wrenching revelation, Max bowed his head in honour of a brave lost brother, and grit his jaw, fighting back his emotions. Maria, sensing his distress, caressed his back as he held Christine in his arms. Then Max asked the state of, "_Booth 'n' Jack?"_

Cam interrupted now, 'Max, its Cam. They're gonna be ok. Jack's out of it at the moment - we've sedated him.' Max nodded, looking into Maria's eyes with wrath and grief lacing his. 'It great to hear from you but why have you called and why now?' she asked the pertinent questions, none of them realising that it was the fifth of September; the day he vowed to return. But Max didn't bother reminding them: he had other things on his calculating mind and obviously so did they.

"_I knew something big had happening when the Net went down. It's been all over the news. I figured that had something to do with Angela's genius. And just before I'd called Daniel to get an update on you all. I was speaking to him and we got cut off…" _They all assumed correctly, but unknowingly, that Daniel was on his cell to Max in the grounds and distracted when Pelant snatched him.

'Yes, it was Ange, she's everything to do with it. Look, I don't know how much you know but we're trapped down here: Flynn, Caroline, Sweets, Daisy, Thierry and Genny the others you know -,' Cam went on, 'we've no way of decontaminating the upper floor so we can get out, and we're not sure if Hacker got Jack's email.'

"_Slow down - what email?"_

'He managed to send an SOS before Pelant sprayed him and Booth with the VX.'

"_Ok. Listen, hang tight for a while. I'll get back to you later." _They all stiffened, not wanting him to go with so many questions left unanswered or knowing how to contact him.

Now Caroline demanded, 'Hold up there, Max! How did you crack Ethan's code and why the _fricking hell _didn't you tell us what he was planning from the beginning?' Parker's eyes widened, thinking they were more excellent questions, and excitedly waited to hear Max's answers.

Max grinned, and thought about his reply before he gave it, _"…. Lucky guess?_" he obfuscated cheekily, playing down his own genius. Then he offered his flippant, weak explanation, "_You know what psychotic's are like - they just wanna kill everyone and rule the world. And if I'd told you from the beginning would you've believed me..?_" Everybody snapped their mouths shut, knowing they probably wouldn't have.

'Dad - are, are you ok?' Bones asked, fearing his answer but had to ask. She wiped her cheeks: the shock wearing off, and regaining some composure, but held her breath.

Again he heard the concern in her voice, and was deeply touched by it. 'Ooh. Honey, I'm hairless but fit as a fiddle - just got given the all clear.' Everybody erupted: they shouted or clapped their joy, congratulations and relief. Bones closed her eyes, and bodily sagged over Booth again. He cuddled her close with a ecstatic smile beaming from his blotchy face. They all heard Max chuckling. Hearing them so happy for him, he calmed them all with, "_Ha'ok, ok, enough. I've work to do." _He turned solemn and determined as he entrusted, "_Make sure nothing else happens to Jack. If it wasn't for him I'm sure __**none **__of us would be still kickin'…" _They all looked to Jack sleeping soundly on the gurney hooked up to drips and a heart monitor. Ange looked away from Jack's face for the first time, puzzled by Max's comments and why he should single out her husband for that praise.

Sweets stepped in now, 'Wait, Max! Where are you?' Again Parker thought that an excellent question but noted Christine's happy chuckles had died away. '… _Max_?!' Sweets shouted again but he'd already ended the call.

'What did he mean if it wasn't for Jack? _Tell _me or I'll start kickin' ass,' Ange insisted feistily, coming back to herself.

Hearing her question Booth grinned, and then explained so everyone was in on Jack's altruistic secret, 'He's not gonna be happy I told ya - but in the circumstances…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Later**

**Above Ground**

**Jake & Ange's Estate**

Surrounded by a FEMA clean up team in precautionary HAZMAT suits and FBI forensics teams, Hacker felt his cell vibrate on his thigh. He ripped it out of his Velcro pocket, and looked at the caller ID. It read: unknown caller. Snagging his head back, he walked away from the clean-up teams to a safe distance, and removed his mask.

'Who is this?'

"_Is this line secure?" _Hacker instantly recognised the voice as Max but kept his surprise off his expression when one of the Apricot team covertly looked over to him. He walked further away, and turned his back to them.

'Yes, as much as it can be - how did you get this number?'

"_Never mind that. Do you know who I am?"_

'Yes.'

Max then clarified, "_No names, right, and quick?"_

Hacker understood that Max was going to be timing the call so it couldn't be traced, with luck. 'Yep, go ahead.'

"_They're all ok - just. Trapped - but ok. You need to clean up."_

'Yes - Its being done now but we can't get inside to do the rest.'

"_I'll get you the code. Any luck tracking him?"_

'I have a location for the hit - I've kept it to myself.' In the distance he saw Nikolay being zipped up inside a black body bag and removed, remembering what the Belarusian had whispered to him with his dieing breath.

"_You're a possible target now - tell me it_," Max pleaded with authority and unsurprising courage.

Shaking his head, looking to his fidgeting feet, Hacker rejected his offer of help, 'No. I can't trust anyone with this information.'

"_I understand - they want to bring him in alive. But you know I don't - so __**trust **__me. I'm prepared to do this alone_."

'No, you're gonna need help - lots of it,' he told him, already understanding what was needed.

"_I disagree, if we keep it simple - just a few trusted souls - we __**can **__do it_," Max urged him to agree but offering him a compromise of joining his small vigilante.

Hacker twitched in his rubber boots, and took a big breath as he considered Max's proposal. He knew he had no other choice but to take him up on his offer, knowing what it might mean to his career and conscience if they failed. 'Ok. We need to meet then.' Max allowed himself a tiny smile of admiration for him.

"_Agreed. I can be there in twenty three hours_." Dropping her burning eyes from Max's, Maria felt her heart stop, and then his hand squeeze hers comfortingly. It didn't comfort her.

Given that timeframe Hacker grimaced, looking at his watch. 'That's cutting it fine - a little _too _fine.'

Unconcerned Max brushed over his caution with, "_It'll have to do. Make preparations - I'll make mine. I'll contact you later with details of the rendezvous location," _that was said with finality. Hacker knew it was the end of their covert conversation and the start of the perilous endgame.

Hacker cut the line, and tucked away his cell again. He replaced his mask, and trotted back over the grass towards the forensic team picking evidence off the burnt ground surrounding the pitiful charred remains of Daniel. His mind sent into overdrive by the call but a clear plan forming beneath his high, sweat-beaded brow…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Later**

**Communal Kitchen**

'You were _amazing_, Parker, we'd have you at the FBI _any _time,' Genny congratulated, rubbing him across the shoulders, while placing a bacon sandwich in front of him. Bones followed that up with a tall class of milk, and a kiss to his cheek to double the praise for his relative coolness under extreme pressure. He grinned shyly, and took a huge bite of his sandwich, enjoying being mothered by the pretty women immensely. They fussed around the kitchen feeding the other hungry men too as it became a hub of activity.

'It was all Jack's doing really,' Parker mumbled with humility, chomping; happily unaware ketchup had squished over his cheek. Bones wiped it away, after sitting next to him with a ghost of a smile curving her lips, and sipped her coffee. 'He showed me around when I got here and told me the improvements he'd made to the bunker. I can take you on the tour later if you want.' Most, he noticed, seemed up for that. He went on to explain, 'Jack updates it every few years or so cos he says it's a good way to spend all the money he gets but doesn't need.' Caroline grinned, cocking a brow at Bones, who shrugged a coy shoulder in response. Parker went on after another huge bite, 'Last year he put in the beach, _and _the snow making machine.' Genny gasped in amazement at his casual disclosure, then chuckled, sitting next to Thierry as they listened.

'Yeah, you _gotta _see the fun rooms, they're _incredible_.' Parker took a slurp of milk, then enthused, 'You can ski, swim, surf, snowboard, pretend you're in the Alps or Himalaya or on some fancy island - _anything_.' Emboldened by all their stunned faces and hanging on his every word, Parker continued, 'He told me everything about the bunker and course, gave me a tour of the infirmary - I think he was trying to make me feel safe in case Pelant did something else to Bones, Dad and me…' Everyone exchanged glances, hearing Parker's voice soften slightly as the adrenalin started to wear off, and the stark reality set in.

'I remembered he said he stocked up the dispensary with fresh stockpiles of antibiotics, morphine, and antidotes to all kinds of _nasty _stuff, just in case.' Then Parker rattled off a few he recalled, 'Like Hantavirus, smallpox vaccine, VX, HD, GA, Sarin, Botulism - all kinds of pain medications, some I'd never heard of.' A plethora of nods followed his informed explanation. 'Jack showed me how the decontamination suite worked and let me try it - I thought it was so _fricking _cool at the time and was proper excited. I remember thinking it would be _awesome _to actually use it in real life but now we had to - it wasn't cool at all, just _really _scary…' Nobody chastised him on his picked-up swear word after all he'd been through, seeing how moved he was suddenly, and that he'd lost his ravenous appetite.

Bones slipped her arm around his waist, and eased him close, smiling into his brimming eyes. 'You were, as Genny said, absolutely _amazing_. You saved not only Jack's life but your father's too. That's something to be incredibly proud of.'

'_Definitely_. You're a hero, Parker, _our _hero,' Caroline seconded, ruffling up his hair en route to pour herself another coffee.

He turned his head to follow her. 'Na-arh, Miss Caroline -,' he muttered sweetly, shaking his head to dismiss that. 'Daisy went _in _there, she was the hero _really_.'

Caroline mimicked him, correcting humorously, 'Na-arh, _she _only went in for the chance to get those hunks _naked _'n' scrub 'em down!'

Everybody laughed, breaking the tension, except Daisy, 'HAA!'

'I did not!' she defended amid a chorus of knowing challenges and cheeky bating. Then she tagged on, 'That was just an added bonus.' More laughter ensued. Caroline gave her a playful nudge when she sat down again with her filled mug. Parker's cute smile returned through his coy blush, and so did his appetite not long after.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Later**

**Ange's Studio**

With Booth and Jack sedated and closely watched over by Cam in the infirmary, Bones went to find Ange after her shower and breakfast. The bunker was quiet for the most part as she walked around the corridor towards Ange's studio. Max had called back briefly to ask for the entrance code which Ange had give him, then had disappeared while her guests muttered anxiously about their new living reality below ground. Max's calls had given them hope that they would be out soon, knowing the upper level was being decontaminated. But it was an edgy hope and the waiting the most difficult to take. With nothing else to do they'd all dispersed to freshen, wait and try to come to terms with what had befallen them. Some had taken Parker up on his offer for the bunker tour.

Bones tapped on Ange's open studio door, and peered around it to see Ange with Michael on her back and tablet in hand. She looked over her shoulder, and then back to the screen of her Angelator. 'Can I come in?' Bones asked politely, carrying her a coffee. Ange nodded, but said nothing. Bones entered, and stepped to her side, after placing the coffee on the work bench behind her. Bones glanced to her, seeing her eyes were leaking but she didn't brush the tears away. Bones' heart physically ached for her; sympathising with her crumbling emotions having taken an atrocious beating in the last 48 hours.

Ange instinctively knew what Bones was worried about. 'I'm ok, Bren. Jack's gonna be fine - Booth too. We're all ok, right?' she mumbled, trying to convince herself, Bones thought.

'Yes, Ange, we're all ok now.' Noting a box of Kleenex on her work bench, Bones pinched a few out, and offered her one. Ange took it but didn't wipe yet, she kept staring at the large screen ahead, trying to hold it all together.

'And you heard Christine, she sounded good - happy.' Bones nodded to confirm, but seeing Ange still weeping and at a loss to know what to do to comfort her. Bones shuffled slightly closer to her so her arm was touching hers, and glanced to her profile again. She saw Ange's chin start to waggle with her delicate contact. With empathy Bones took her hand in hers, and squeezed hard, hoping that transfer of sympathy may help her. 'He nearly died, Bren.'

'Technically he did, but we all saved him,' Bones said comfortingly. 'Science saved him and of course he saved himself by being so paranoid.' Ange grinned feebly, and nodded. 'Thank you for letting me hold you.'

'No, you held me, and kept _me _from falling apart, Bren, thank _you_,' Ange said sincerely, finally looking at her properly. They both, watery eyed, snapped each other into another massive hug, each others emotional lifeboat again. In it they exchanged a common love and thankfulness for having the unconditional support of the other. Ange released her slowly, and wiped her cheeks affectionately with the Kleenex. Bones sniffed, and smiled warmly, then just as tenderly, wiped Ange's rippling tears away.

Staring deeply into her glistening anguished eyes, Bones grinned timidly, held her closer, then sweetly, tenderly kissed her lips. Her warm kiss conveyed not only love, but imparted courage and the promise of dependence. Ange sighed softly, fathomlessly touched by her show of sisterly love and the greater bond sealed between them for it. As Bones eased back, Ange grinned, then caressed her cheek with a delicate palm, branding this moment into her memory to cherish. Finally Ange warbled softly, 'Wow, Sweetie, sometimes you blow me away, your compassion is astounding.'

Bones smiled shyly, dropping her eyes to her feet. 'I didn't know how to comfort you, like you would me. A kiss felt right.'

'It _worked_.' Bones looked up again to be met with a bludgeoning smile from Ange, and couldn't stop to return it tenfold with her elation. Sounding stronger Ange moved them on with, 'Cam said she's going to keep them up there tonight under observation. She has some tests to perform, something to do with residual nerve damage.' Swallowing, Bones nodded, losing a little of that smile.

'Yes. It's possible they may have problems with motor functions, liver and kidney failure, possible residual nerve damage in the extremities, brain damage, erectile dysfunction, blindness…' Bones paused, seeing Ange's jaw dropping.

'Ok, enough - I'd rather not know the ins and outs, thanks. It's just good to know they're alive.'

'Agreed,' Bones said stoutly, picking up that she didn't want to know what possible after effects might befall their respective men. Bones hastily changed the subject, wiping her drippy nose, 'What are you working on?'

'I'm checking to see if Pelant's worm died.' Bones took Michael out of his carrier on her back, and gave him a cuddle, a kiss, then propped him on her hip. He played merrily with her clunky long necklace. 'Arh. Yes - and has it?'

Ange felt herself rise as if she was levitating with the weight of Michael being taken from her, then slipped off the carrier too as she said, 'I can't find a thread of it anywhere. Jasper did its job perfectly,' she informed naturally, without ego, sipping cooling coffee. 'It looks like it took four minutes thirty six seconds to imploded. The press are going crazy trying to work out how and why the Net went down - they won't find out why. Which is probably best all round.' Bones nodded with a shady smile. 'But -,' Ange added ominously, walking over to her studio door, and shut it; sealing them inside, 'look - at - _this_…'

'What's that?'

'_That _- is the remaining information the worm sent back to _this _host before it started to die.'

Bones understood that it was the final secret information Pelant's worm had been trying to access. But Bones was surprised it was still on Ange's computer, so asked, 'I thought this was all going into the shredder program?'

Ange waggled her head and lips evasively. 'Yeah, but I haven't shredded it yet -,' Bones cocked an intrigued brow, 'be-_caaause _I don't know what to do with _this_…'

Bones sped-read the heading on the decrypted file she had up then the first four paragraphs. With considerable shock for her, Bones droned, 'Oh-God-_Ange_.'

'Yeah, Jack would have a _field _day in this candy store.'

'And probably become diabetic.' Bones retorted, and smiled wryly at her. Then she lost that smile gradually, saying wisely, 'Some secrets should never be put in the public domain,' clearly referencing what she was still reading.

Ange nudged her flank, and asked with an air of covertness and temptingly, 'Yeah, but is there anything you particularly want to know the answer to - some mystery you just _have _to have solved - now's ya chance?'

Stiffening her spine, Bones said resolutely, 'No.'

Ange curled her lip, disgruntled. 'I _knew _you'd say that.' Then they shared an affectionate smile. Ange went on, bringing up something else she found in the batches of highly classified files, 'But I also found this. Go on, _read _it.'

Bones did as instructed, and paled as she read for a few moments. It didn't take her long to react to it with a gravity that transferred to Angela, 'They knew all along - this confirms it. We were right to be suspicious of Apricot's motives.' Ange nodded solidly to confirm her thoughts. 'I thought it was strange when Pelant said he'd had offers from "_surprising sources" _for the worm - that was a deliberate hint, I suspect.'

'Yeah, _and _then he said, he was going to disappear for a while because they'd be "_pissed" _at him, remember? That suggests a relationship of some kind, doesn't it? Look at the dates, Bren.' Ange pointed to the top secret briefing notes of the meeting from over two years ago, then looked back to Bones with her bloodshot eyes clearing.

Nodding, Bones said, 'I see. So his talent and the worms potential as a weapon were spotted while at MIT then he was seconded by our secret agencies or at least approached by them.'

'Read on - he refused the offer to work with them, Bren.'

'Yes, then has that run in with the FBI and was convicted for the cyber-hacking, or as he called himself a Hacktervist exposing the truth, as he saw it. And to a certain extent, he was protected by them while working on it in the hope that he would want to either sell it to them or finally work with them.'

'He gets more and more unstable and deranged - their hypocrisy only feeds his paranoia, the worm sends back _confirmation _of it and incites him - so he wanted to expose them to the public.'

'Yes, but something must have been the catalyst for him to go off like he did between MIT and releasing the worm...' Ange and Bones stared hard at one another, then said together; coming to the same conclusion but for different reasons:

'Inger Johannsen.'

Ange began again, 'She dumped him, but is a scorned lover enough to set someone off on a twisted murderous campaign against the FBI?'

Bones quirked her lips, and shook her head slightly, as she divulged, 'I don't think now that Pelant was specifically honing in on the FBI. This is just supposition, you understand?' Ange grinned and nodded, taking a seat to listen to her theory and Michael from her arms. 'He was angry at anyone in authority that _he _believed was being dishonest or keeping secrets from the apathetic public.'

Ange huffed at the irony in reflection of her speech the last night as Bones went on, 'I read Genny's excellent notes in their entirety. Inger was studying chemical engineering at MIT - then went on to work with, and research, pesticides - _VX_ was discovered by mistake by a British chemist trying to find a new _pesticide_. Once its toxicity was verified it was given over to the Army to see if it had potential as a chemical weapon. Consequently it was _quietly _exchanged for thermonuclear technology from the US. If you recall Genny spoke to her parents at length.' Ange nodded fast. 'They told her Inger came home for the summer to think about a lucrative _offer _of research with a US _agency _but didn't state which, and decided against it anyway.' Ange's left brow slipped to her hairline, and wondered why it was she never read all the notes in her file so diligently as her friend. 'Once Inger attained her degrees, she returned to Europe to continue her research at another facility. It's very possible she told Pelant of the invitation - maybe that caused the rift between them.'

'I think that's highly likely, Bren. He probably assumed, in his messed-up head, she was going to work with them to produce a new chemical weapon. He already knew why they wanted his worm: for cyber spying and to blackmail other countries. That would have only heightened his mistrust of the authorities.'

'Precisely.' Bones sighed, then sat edgily on the workbench, and said pensively, 'At every step Pelant, has in some way, attempted to expose corruption in his campaign - and those _guilty _of it.' She went on to give examples, 'The lawyer he employed to get me convicted on fabricated evidence. AD Thomas was singled out for his hypocrisy, the prison guard for drug dealing. Ethan's nurse: greed. He played on Nikolay loathing of his government and tried to expose the cover-up about the avoidable deaths at Chernobyl and continuing legacy. And Apricot: he hit back at them with the car bomb, warning them off. The howling wolves at the charity ball were a wake up call to the general public to make them feel unsafe and take note. And his worm was meant to be the ultimate hit; to throw the world's governments and institutions into a panic. Inger took the brunt of his rage initially for her suspected involvement in a conspiracy to produce yet more chemical weapons and led us to confirm the FBI cover-ups in the use of state informants. The trouble is, Ange, he's _failed _to get the public looking his way and ask the right questions about these seemingly unconnected events. My fear is he won't attack the politicians; governments, banks, countries or anyone that can cover up what's been done. He wants to make a statement that nobody can deny or miss. I suspect he'll hit at the heart of every human being, at the one thing we as humans hold most dear and treasure the most.'

'What's that?'

Bones sighed, asking gently, 'What do _you _hold most dear?' She then looked to Michael in Ange's arms.

Following her eyes, then so did Ange. Snapping her eyes back to hers, she gasped an incredulous, 'You mean the truly _innocent_? Children? Crap no, _no_. You _gotta _be wrong, Bren.'

'I hope I am…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**A/N: **Will the unlikely pairing of Max and Hacker take out Pelant - or will Booth recover enough to wade in too and finally fire his gun? Or will Apricot snatch Pelant away before they get to him? Will honest Ange warn the public of the impending danger or keep them in the dark? Stay tuned for the next instalment of **Pelant,** biting hard on the heels of this one. Hugs, Lebxeb. XX.


	31. Chapter 31

**Disclaimer: **All characters portrayed here are fictional. No infringement of rights intended. Bones & its characters are a product of Fox Inc. & not mine. No financial gain is received from this work of fiction.

**Summary: **Can anyone save them now? "Nothing is what it seems…" - Seeley Booth.

**Rating: M (For disturbing imagery) **

**Thanks**: Too many to give right now or do them justice. But please look out for the bonus chapter after the epilogue… XX.

**Pelant**

**Chapter XXXI**

**The Following Day**

**Bunker Infirmary**

**05.03AM**

Cam heard the gentle bleep of her two hour alarm, and fluttered open her eyes. Turning off the alarm, she slipped on a robe, and left the convalescing room in the infirmary for her two patients next door. As she entered to check the vitals of her wards she stopped in her tracks, and smiled, touched at seeing Booth fast asleep with Bones and Parker draped either side of him on the bed. He had an arm around each of them, and even through the dim light given off by the gently beating heart monitor, she could see a phantom smile curving his lips. She thought it was a beautiful and heart-warming sight: a loving family wrapping themselves around Booth's dreams.

Booth, she assessed, had recovered exceptionally well in the circumstances and most tests were positive for an almost full recovery. Jack's recovery, however, was a little more concerning to her though; hence the two hourly vitals check. She gave the sleeping family a wide berth, and concentrated on Jack. She recorded his urine output; checked his saline drip rate and wrote down all results on his chart. She noted too with relief his skin was less blotchy and his facial oedema was reducing rapidly now. Once her checks were completed she returned to her bed, but as she left the room, Ange was coming in. That didn't surprise her in the least.

Cam whispered her bolstering update, 'Hey. He's doing _great _- he looks much better too.' Ange nodded with a wisp of a smile, looking over her shoulder towards Jack. Cam comfortingly rubbed her upper arms to reassure. Neither realised that Parker was awake but just resting his eyes closed but secretly reliving the wonderful things said about him for his actions yesterday.

'I couldn't sleep without him beside me,' Ange confessed longingly, seeing Bones and Parker obviously had the same feeling as her. Cam nodded sympathetically. 'And Bren said something to me last night I haven't been able to get out of my…' she trailed off. Parker pricked up his ears, and held his breath, wanting to hear what had made her voice quiver so worryingly and had prevented her from sleeping. Seeing Cam looked puzzled, Ange clarified, 'She thinks Pelant is going to use the remaining VX on _children _to get everyone's attention and _immortalize _himself…' Parker just managed not to react at the horrific images which came flooding back to him and give away to them that he was awake. The thought of children, babies, Michael or Chrissy dieing in agony like his father and Jack nearly did, petrified him. But not only that, it angered his soul. And, for the first time in his short life, Parker sensed the rotten emotion of icy-blue hate towards another human being: Christopher Pelant.

Cam's face fell as if she'd been kicked in the stomach, and swallowed hard, knowing Bones was rarely wrong or offered a theory without it being logically, painstakingly thought through. 'Oh. God, and we're _stuck _down here.' Ange nodded to empathise with her growing frustration. That frustration was also born of the fact they'd been told that the clean up of the upper floor may take days. The VX residue was clinging onto all of Jack's equipment, furniture and computers, most of which had to be safely removed and was being done in secret so as not to raise the alarm, which all took time. They'd been informed there was a press blackout on the events and so the public were innocently unaware of the impending danger. Although they didn't like that idea the decision was out of their hands. Ange didn't bother telling Cam she suspected that Apricot, and whomever was ordering them, probably wanted Pelant brought in alive: so they could utilize his dubious talents in the future and so hide their insidious mandate from the public. She didn't care how or what they did now, she just wanted Pelant off the streets: dead or alive, and her world safe again.

Ange continued explaining what she'd been doing for all of the evening and most of the night, 'I've been searching the files, and going over the evidence, trying to find a lead or clue, _something _to tell us where he might release it.' Cam guessed by her dimming eyes her search had been fruitless.

Noting Ange's gross fatigue and the concern etched across her face and anvil-heavy eyes, Cam urged tenderly, 'Go and lay down with him 'n' try and get some rest.' Ange pecked her cheek with thanks, and joined her sleeping husband without another word. Laden down with her own thoughts Cam left the room for hers, not noticing that Parker had opened his eyes with a fire raging within…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Home Field Park**

**Washington DC**

**08.45AM**

It was a bright indigo, ice-clear morning with just a few crossed vapour trails to mar the sky of the US' Capital. Fall was approaching fast and with the new semester about to start made most of the city's inhabitants take full advantage of the unseasonably long hot summer and the well-used parkland. The acres of grass and cycle cum dog tracks that webbed the huge park were already filled with multi-coloured joggers, ambling dog walkers, and workers taking the fragrant, earthy cut-through towards the city to their nine 't' fives. The vibrant sunrays were baking the paths and people, and warmly caressing the heavily-laden trees making the park look radiant and lush. The large free-form boating lake, covered by eager, peckish ducks awaiting their stale bread and toast crusts, shimmered invitingly. Hireable punts and canoes bobbed happily at one end by the café which was buzzed by smiling thirsty visitors. Beyond that harboured; tennis courts, mini golf, skateboard ramps and plenty of cool manicured grass for lovers to canoodle under trees or shade young families that came to enjoy a picnic or a kick about. At the other end of the lake was a permanent entertainment stand which was used by licensed buskers of all descriptions. In the summer months, especially, the area was often a hub for every art-entertainer imaginable, from musicians to acrobats, from puppet shows to balloon twisters. They all had bayed for a timeslot to do their thing and it was a coveted gig as it was right next to a child's playground surrounded by benches for their watchful parents. The later afternoon slot was the most fun, busy and lucrative for the exuberant entertainers. That was when the young mother's and father's would gather with their pre-school children and older siblings, to let them let off steam before heading home to make dinner. The idyllic green enclave amongst the cement and tarmac of Washington's grand state buildings and monuments was aptly named; it was the backyard of everyone's home.

Heading towards the café with a large knapsack over one shoulder, Tony Presario, a lanky affable twenty-something, with a shock of spiked bleach-blonde hair chuckled, when he felt the tickle of his iPhone vibrate in his jean's back pocket. He pulled out his earphone, and answered it, 'Yo!'

"_Tony, hey its me."_

'Josh? Jeeze, Man, you sound _blown_. Why aren't ya here yet?' Narrowing his eyes, Tony strained to hear his friend and busking companion as he's voice sounded so frail and strained. He continued to walk around the lake towards the café to get himself a juice, but slowed, feeling his happy bubble was about to burst.

"_Yeah, Man, look, a got sick last night I'm not gonna be able to make it this afto."_

Tony came to a gutted standstill, mimed a cuss to the sky, and gripped the handset tight. "Dude, _not _smart - not _smart_! It's taken us _months _to get this gig! I _need _ya, Man,' Tony reminded, feeling his heart drop to his knobbly knees.

"_I know-I know. But my old roomy is steppin' up._"

Tony smiled cautiously, having been thrown a lifeline. 'Who - _Frankie_?'

'_No, Chris." _

Tony asked sceptically, 'I don't remember you talkin' bout no dude called Chris?' walking on, and silently ordering a mango juice with a tap to the drinks menu.

"_Yeah ya do," _Josh lied as convincingly as he could. _"He's cool, the suit fits and he's watchin' YouTube of us and learning the routine. He'll be there before three, ok?" _Josh prayed that his life could be saved if he acquiesced to the strangers bizarre request hovering over him. The stranger had broken in and woken him this morning with a hand around his throat and a breath-snatching punch to his solar plexus. He was so terrified when bound by hands, and foot to his kitchen chair and physically threatened: he had no alternative but to follow his instructions anyway.

Raking out cash front his front pocket, Tony handed it over, saying through gritted teeth, 'Shhit, do I have a choice?'

"_Man, dude, I'm so sorry." _Taking his covered cup, Tony walked away, dragging his feet, and slumped to a bench beside the lake with a sigh of acceptance.

'Arrgh. If it's gotta be, it's gotta be. The show must go on, right?'

"_Right. G-good luck,_" Josh stuttered, his eyes beginning to pour.

'Hey, get well soon, you sound like _crap_. I'll come over after and bring ya chicken soup - tell ya all 'bout it.'

"_Yeah - great_. _Bye Tony_…" With eyes wide, tears streaming, and trembling uncontrollably, Josh felt time expand when the premonition of his last grizzly moments manifested when the cool stranger snatched the phone away from his ear. 'Don't hurt me, _please_, don't hurt me - I did what you said, right?' Josh begged pitifully.

Pelant yanked the phone cable out of the wall to disconnect the phone, saying ordinarily, 'Well done, Josh. You did _very _well in the circumstances.' Then elegantly pirouetting on his toes like a ballerino, with a 12inch bread knife in a backwards grip, Pelant sliced through Josh's jugular and voice-box in a savage, flashing, life-ending swipe. A warm crimson waterfall of blood pumped out of the fatal wound until his heart stopped beating with nothing to pump through it. Josh's severed throat gurgled air from his lungs while the blood pooled on his lap, and trickled down between his bound thighs to the floor. Josh watched his own death until his eyesight narrowed and he slipped into an eternal void. Unemotional, tilting his head slightly, Pelant watched him expire from shock as well as massive blood loss; fascinated by the rich cascade…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Bunker's Communal Lounge**

**11.57AM**

'Morning all - just…' Max said pleasantly, making everyone leap and gasp in their chairs as he strode in ordinarily through the lounge door. He was closely followed by Hacker in casuals, with an equally wide cocky smile. They could see they were stunned and had no idea how they'd got in but that question wasn't vocalised right now.

Shooting to her feet, along with everyone else Caroline had to confirm, not believing her eyes, '_Max_?' She noted his baldness, lack of eye lashes and his drastic weight loss immediately, but said nothing to draw attention to it. He walked over to each person and gave them a hug, noting questions spring into their surprised but delighted eyes.

'What are you doing here?' 'How did you get in?' - where just some of the hot questions thrown at the men as they greeted each other with huge relief and hearty handshakes. Max batted them all down to sit again, not many complied: too excited to obey and set on edge again.

'We haven't got time for that now -,' Hacker said to Thierry, Genny and Flynn, losing his smile, 'we need to talk.'

Max interrupted though, 'Where's Tempe and Booth - infirmary?' presuming they would still be there.

Sweets replied to him, 'No - they're in their suite - sleeping, resting. Cam discharged Booth about an hour ago. Jack's still in there - he's recovering but not so well as Booth.' Max nodded solemnly.

'I'm going to see them. Hacker will explain.' Then just as quickly as he'd arrived, Max was gone, leaving their jaws dropping.

'What's happening?' Flynn asked Hacker immediately the door closed behind him. Hacker took a deep breath, and sat down. All curious eyes now on him…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! **

**Parker's Suite**

Parker came out of the shower with his eyes widening in shock at seeing Hacker on the split screen on his plasma TV of them in the lounge. Snapping his mouth shut, he quickly turned up the sound to listen to what he was saying:

**(( **"_Nikolay was shot above ground yesterday by Apricot against my order.' Genny and Thierry looked to each other, and sagged, knowing he knew where Pelant was heading. But they brightened when Hacker went on, "Before he died - he told me that Pelant was going to release the VX near the lake - at Home Park." Everybody twitched uncomfortably, understanding the connection with water and now who he was targeting_**. ))**

The decision was made quickly in Parker's mind, hearing that awful truth confirmed. He knew Home Park like the back of his hand and spent many a happy hour there with his Dad at weekends. They'd boated on it, fed the ducks and even more lately, skated with his school friends at the ramps. The small fairground, carousel and playground had been his destination of choice when he was under five. The Park held, and still held, a special place in his tender heart. Now he knew what Pelant was planning his outrage and hate spurred on his actions.

Parker PIN locked his door, then trotted to his wardrobe, and pulled out his knapsack. Hurriedly he emptied it, then went to his dresser drawers, and pulled out board-shorts; a t-shirt and underwear. While still listening to the grown-ups, he redressed quickly. Once ready, sweaty-palmed, he sat on the edge of the bed, watching and waited for the right moment...

**(( **_Hacker continued, "We can't trust Apricot, which I'm sure you understand now." They all nodded to agree and confirm, except Flynn. "I was ordered here yesterday, against my better judgment, to stop Ange's Jasper bringing down the Net to destroy it, obviously I failed." He didn't let on that he'd done everything he could to arrive too late to do anything: understanding it was imperative that Ange's ploy succeeded. "What __**they **__still don't know is where Pelant intends to release it and that gives us a huge advantage."_

_Flynn riled incredulously, "You didn't __**tell **__them - when you __**knew**__?! That's blindly irresponsible and extremely dangerous."_

_Hacker kept his cool, saying pointedly, "On the contrary, Flynn. We can save lives if we act fast and quietly without setting everyone to panic and force Pelant underground where we might never get to him. Anyway, we can debate this decision later - it's made, and I take __**full **__responsibility for it," he said with finality. Flynn looked to his feet, shaking his head. "But right now, we need to arm - and bring you up to speed with the plan I've made with Max to apprehend Pelant. Genny, Thierry, we're gonna need you. But if you wanna stay here, we'll understand." They shook their heads, determined to be in on the final act. Hacker nodded, then looked to a dubious Flynn. "We don't really want you Flynn because, to be honest, your links with the Director and Apricot worry us."_

_Flynn bristled, that was an insult too far. "I'm __**fucking **__sick of this! I was just doing my job - following orders, you __**know **__that! Everyone is treating me like some ball-less pariah. I hate this twisted bastard as much as you lot and wanna see justice done! And, if you're interested, I could've shot the lot of you twice over but I haven't! Believe me, I've felt like it sometimes for all the snide comments, backhanded sneers and insults you've __**spat **__at me. Cam's the only one that __**truly **__understands how hard this has been for me, cos she's had to work both side too - __**she **__trusts me."_

_Everyone looked to Cam now for her opinion. Hacker asked her calmly, 'Do you - do you trust him not to contact Apricot or the Director before we do this?' Cam stared into Flynn's manic urgent eyes, and took a deep breath, and held it tight. _**))**

Even Parker held his breath, not sure which side of the sword she would fall.

**(( **_"I'm sorry, Flynn, no - I don't trust you not to call them - just to save your own ass if it all goes tits up." Flynn gawped at her, felled by her vote of no confidence. _

_Caroline grinned, shifting on her buttocks, saying, "Boooommm," and gesticulated the explosion of his self-confidence and ego with her fingers. Genny almost laughed, but quickly turned her head away so no one saw her trying not to. _

_Flynn only glanced to Caroline as he stepped into Cam's face, and said, "Order me - if that's what you think I'm all about. __**Order **__me not to call them…" Cam stared deep into his eyes, flicking from one to the other, seeing his need to be a part of the endgame scorched in them. With her eyes burning with emotion, she then looked to Hacker over her shoulder. Making his decision based on Cam's reassessed judgment and his own, Hacker stood from the edge of his seat, and sighed._

"_As your superior officer, I order you not to contact any member of the FBI, Armed Forces, Police, the Director or Apricot before we apprehend Pelant." Flynn took a deep breath, having fought his case and won it to join them, then he nodded on his exhale to comply. _

_Flynn quickly grabbed Cam's hand before she walked away, and whispered sincerely for her change of heart, 'Thank you.'_

_Dropping her eyes to his hand in hers, Cam said softly, 'Don't thank me -," then she looked up into his eyes, 'I may have just signed your death warrant…" It was only then that Flynn realised Cam had tried to save his life by saying at first she didn't trust him, and that brought a lump to his throat. _**)) **

Parker's eyes now caught on the other images coming from outside his Dad's suite. He saw Max tap the door, and nervously straighten the red cap with a maple leaf motif on his head. Parker assumed that's where they last were: Canada. A huge smile blossomed on Parker's face as he waited with bouncy anticipation for Bones' reaction to his long awaited arrival, and wondered where Christine was.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! **

**Booth & Bones' Suite**

**Moments Later**

Bones came to the door, and pulled it open, then froze with a barrage of emotions welling in her sparkling eyes. Max smiled hard, slipping his eyes over her tenderly, concerned by her weight loss which was comparable with his. 'Hey, Tempe…' Bones' lips parted slightly, and he saw her eyes slide over his gaunt face, then pierce his eyes with her brimming ones. Bones stepped into his waiting loving embrace, and crushed him to her, burying her face in the crook of his neck. With a stronger smile, Max rubbed her back, feeling her trembling with euphoria, relief, gratitude, fear and speaking words she could form through her wonderful embrace. 'There-there,' he whispered sympathetically. 'Oh. Honey, I've missed you too.' Unable to speak yet, Bones nodded, and squeezed him tighter to convey that was exactly what she wanted to say.

Their happy, simple life had exploded several times over the last few months: with every crushing hit they'd borne with as much dignity as they could. But each time it had blown up, the devastation trebled: the rubble of their life had been pounded so hard it had become dust and started to blow away yesterday with Booth's near death. She'd held onto the hope that they could rebuild it eventually. But as a fine dust, that hope slipped through her fingers and she'd found it harder to hang on to. But with the return of Max, and doubtless what he'd brought back with him, her hope was renewed in a cascade of tears and outpouring of emotion.

Booth came up behind Bones with eyes wide, and a smile that lit up the corridor. 'Max?' Max laughed at his gob-smacked expression, and reach for his hand, unable to pry Tempe off him. Booth took it, and shook it hard and fast. 'Oh. Man this is…' Booth paused as the fantastic, apprehensive thought occurred to him. Seeing the question in his expanding pupils, Max gently eased Bones off him but was nearly brought to tears when she clung to him again, refusing to let him go just yet.

'Haa. Come on, Tempe - let me go.' Then he said cryptically and to tempt, 'I brought _gifts_…' She shook her head vehemently, not able to bare the joy if he was going to confirm what she thought he was going to. Booth sensed her resurging fear, turmoil and crippling emotions rippling off her, and caressed her back, sharing a knowing watery smile with Max. Now the moment had arrived for the long dreamt-of reunion Bones couldn't bring herself to face the maelstrom of mixed emotions that inevitably went with it.

Max knew what was holding her back from moving forwards, so beseeched empathetically, 'Don't be scared, Tempe. It'll be ok…' He felt her drag air in to breathe, and saw her reach back for Booth to take her quivering hand. He gripped it tightly, feeling the terrifying rush of similar emotion quake his thundering heart. Max stepped back, taking her other hand, and lead them in soggy silence towards their beloved daughter.

**(( **_From his room Parker watched entranced, just as emotionally moved, as he followed their slow progress with his tears dripping unchecked from his eyes. The heartbreaking memory of Bones sobbing in a broken pathetic ball on the floor beside Christine's crib tore at his heartstrings, and seeing her in bits now had the same effect on him. He desperately wanted to join them and give his little sister a big cuddle of welcome home, but knew this was their moment and he'd get his chance later. _**)) **

They reached one of the fun rooms, and came to a stuttering, confused halt. Max stood in front of them clinging to each other, and peering into his eyes with genuine apprehension lacing them. Max kissed his daughter's cheek softly, then rubbed Booth's shoulder with a gentle smile of reassurance for them. Bones took a deep breath for fortitude, and wiped her cheeks quickly as Max clasped the handle. Booth kissed her brow hard, and squeezed her to his flank, feeling weak-kneed as Max slowly pushed the handle down, and opened the door. He stood back with a smile, nodding for them to go in.

'Come in with us,' Booth said suddenly, sounding fearful of doing this alone. Max shook his head slowly.

'Go on - she won't bite, she might laugh - she's always laughing…' Bones grinned finally, and with only courage keeping them upright, they walked in.

**(( **_Parker immediately changed the screen image to see inside the room, already knowing what they were going to see. _**))**

The huge room didn't appear to be a room at all. It was like stepping into another part of the world. The first thing that struck them was they were surrounded by a bright blue sky with scudding fluffy clouds on all sides. The gentle call of distant gulls and a gentle breeze came from their left. Ahead and down was a gently lapping ocean on a white sand beach which stole their, already shallow, breaths. Booth thought they could be in the Caribbean and was easily transported there by Jack's inspired fun room.

They heard heart-filling baby giggling, and snapped their eyes to the right, to see Christine sat on the soft sand under a palm parasol in a pink swim costume with dolphins on. Bones squeezed Booth's hand tighter, noting she'd grown so much more than she'd envisioned. Her hair was long and in soft curling ringlets and as beautiful as she ever was - only more. She was playing with a bright yellow bucket and spade and bashing that spade on the bucket, blithely flicking sand about. One scoop flew into the air and landed on her head, making her squeal her excitement again, and attempted to shake it off her head. Bones thought it was a surreal dream seeing her in the flesh, and felt her whole body ache to hold her and crush her to her heaving breast. Her lips yearned to kiss her soft fragrant skin but she could only manage to gorge her eyes on her beautiful smile and sun-filled eyes.

Making them jump from their reverie, a beautiful caramel-skinned woman wearing a gentle smile floated to their side. Instantly Bones and Booth recognised her from the Olympics video footage. 'Hello, Tempe, Seeley, I'm Maria. Christine is healthy, had all her shots, and as you can see, _loves _the beach.' They nodded, sniffed, and smiled, looking back to her. Bones stepped towards Maria, and kissed her cheek, then hugged her, knowing she'd taken care of Christine and her father, and needed to show her deep appreciation for that. Holding her back, Maria said, deeply effected by her affectionate hug, 'It's been a life-changing privilege to take care of her for you both. We'll talk later...' Booth nodded, attempting to control his jangling nerves. Then Maria drifted out of the door, and closed it gently behind her, leaving them alone.

'Go on, Bones,' Booth urged, gesturing with a nod down the steps. Bones shook her head, still fearful of her rejection. Booth grit his jaw: just as scared but knew they couldn't go on like this. He started to walk down the few steps towards Christine, tugging Bones across the warm sand with him. With her eyes fixed on Christine patting the upturned bucket, Bones' eyes leaked profusely, and could do nothing to stop them: nor did she, in truth, notice them. Suddenly within ten feet of her, Christine spotted them nearing, and stopped bashing the bucket. She looked at them individually, and oddly, they noted. Booth came to a halt, feeling his heart stall. Christine looked around the beach, they assumed for Max or Maria, then back to them.

Bones dropped to her knees: coming down to her level, and crawled closer very slowly with a trembling smile tickling her lips. Christine's dancing eyes narrowed slightly at her, then she looked up to Booth, seemingly a little puzzled by their appearance. He instinctively copied Bones, but ventured tenderly, 'Hello, Christine - its Mommy and Daddy…' She looked hard at them, then waved her spade vigorously with a gorgeous unaffected grumble. The spade flew out of her hand and smacked Booth in the head then bounced off into the sand. Bones gasped a shocked breath, then covered her teeth with her lips in her amusement. Christine burst out belly laughing as Booth toppled over onto his side, and waggled his legs in the air like an unturned turtle. Christine's sublime laughter shot like a flaming velvet arrow straight to Bones' heart and made her grab her robe over it as it throbbed violently and exploded under her ribs. In her hilarity Christine toppled backwards, and abruptly stopped laughing. Bones instinctively scrambled to pick her up. As she placed her hands on around her midriff an extraordinary connection was re-established between them that took Bones' breath it was so tangible. Slowing her movements, Bones gently lifted her upright again, staring into her daughters eyes. Christine felt her face in complete silence with her tiny hands and clearly deep in thought and memory. Booth slowly righted himself, and watched on as Bones settled her on her lap, and smiled loving at her, seeing she had crowned two tiny lower incisors.

Caressing her feather-soft hair, Bones said with her voice cracking, 'Hello, Christine.' Christine poked exploring fingers into her mouth, nose, then felt her cheeks again, still studying her eyes intently. Then suddenly, naturally, with complete affection and sweetness, she hugged Bones around the neck. Bones closed her eyes to her breathtaking action but tears of obliterating joy gushed out of her lids, feeling her tender grip mend the splintered parts of her heart instantly. 'Christine, oh, Christine,' Bones sobbed, holding her back as hard as she dare, and rocked her backwards and forwards in her arms. Booth hung his head, and sobbed unashamedly, witnessing their eternal bond re-established finally; their misery blowing away on the gentle breeze. Bones waved him closer, and could hear him disintergrating behind her. 'Booth, Seeley, _please_,' she begged him to join them. He rolled onto his knees, and spooned Bones from behind, and wrapped his arms around them both.

'Da-da!' Christine blurted, then giggled, patting his head like she had the bucket. Bones' gasp, and wide shocked eyes transferred to Booth. His tears stopped being of relief and turned to blinding excitement and chronic pride.

'Haa! Yes, that's Da-da, Christine,' Bones congratulated, beaming at Christine for her advance in speech. Then she judged, realising Max and Maria must have kept showing their images to remind Christine who they were, 'I think Pa-pa has taken a leaf out of Parker's tree.'

**(( **_Parker felt his heart swell to bursting with pride and delight that his idea had worked for them. But he also laughed hard at Bones messing up the colloquialism. He missed the rest of their exchanges when he saw Max, Hacker, Genny, Thierry and Flynn leave the lounge. That left Cam, Ange,, Sweets, Maria, and Daisy alone looking pensive. Losing his smile, he followed their progress via the cameras as they made their way down to the basement. Seizing his chance, Parker grabbed his knapsack and wallet, then left his suite… _**)) **

'Haa. Out of his _book_, Bones, leaf out of his book,' Booth corrected affectionately, smothering both of his ladies with ticklish stubble kisses. 'Hey, Chrissy, can you say _Mom_-ma, Mom-_ma_?'

Christine looked directly into Bones' eyes, then kissed her lips with a sloppy wide mouth and the cutest giggle-gurgle. That was more than good enough for Bones, who rocked back into Booth's body, and held Christine aloft, and waggled her. Squealing her thrills, Christine kicked her legs, and flapped her arms as if she was swimming, or wanted to. Bones handed Christine to Booth as she stripped off to naked with a scorching smile. 'What ya doing?'

'Taking her swimming - coming?' Bones flashed her elated, shadow-less eyes at him, taking Christine back off him, then headed into the ridiculously warm water, bouncing her on her hip. He didn't need any more persuasion to join them. Booth disrobed too, and followed her in, with a brighter smile than the faux sun above their heads.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Infirmary**

Parker looked through the window of the infirmary, and gently pushed open the door. Jack was sleeping but thankfully was, he noted, drip-free although his vitals were still being observed by the quietly bleeping monitors. Parker slipped passed him on tip-toes towards the dispensary, and closed the door behind him carefully.

Checking out the machine that looked like a candy vending machine he spotted what he needed, and opened the unlocked door. He stuffed the remaining VX antidotes into his knapsack with nerves pinging, and looking over his shoulder regularly, checking he wasn't seen or heard. He closed the door, but caught sight of morphine shots, and took a few of those for good measure. Then he left covertly, tip-toeing back past Jack. But he mumbled awake, and fluttered his eyes open. Parker froze, feeling sick, then turned, and smiled innocently. 'Hey, Jack, I just came to check on ya,' he lied. 'Sorry to wake you.' Jack swallowed dryly, and sat up, focusing his eyes on him, and spotted his knapsack.

'What ya got there?' he asked with a scratch throat, reaching for a cup of water with a groan.

'Oh. I was going skiing. Dad and Bones need some time alone with Christine.' Jack's eyes widened.

'Max is back with Christine?' he asked incredulously, nearly choking on his sip of cool water. Parker nodded, still frozen to the spot, and as casually as he could, put his knapsack over his shoulder.

'Yeah. They're at the beach. Do you need anything?' Jack shook his head with a pleasant smile.

'Nah, I'm good. Could you get Ange to come up - I wanna have a chat with her?'

'Sure, Jack. I'll tell her before I go - skiing,' he tagged on, then grimaced at how wrong that sounded. Jack caught that but thought it an aberration, and settled back down to his bed with a achy sigh. Parker made a hasty exit before he thought to query him, adding, 'Feel better soon. See ya.' Once outside the infirmary, he pelted down to the next floor then the next. He slowed as he neared the door to the lounge and stopped to listen at the door. He heard ladies voices, then dashed passed the door, and onwards with his heart in his mouth.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**An Hour Later**

**Communal Kitchen**

**13.03PM**

Booth and Bones, with Christine in her arms, walked into the kitchen with massive smiles on their faces. Everyone lit up and cooed, seeing the family back together, and felt the energy and feel-good endorphins oozing out of them. They all gathered around them; sharing kisses and hugs and making an excited fuss of Christine: who loved all the attention.

Ange slipped her arm around Bones' waist, and kissed her puckered cheek for a few moments. Bones laughed softly. 'I'm so happy for you. She's grown _and _got teeth!' Nodding, Bones looked into Christine's plumy face, and kissed her head through her hair.

'We've just been getting to know Maria. Come sit down,' Caroline explained, pulling out a chair for Bones to sit.

Booth saw a change bag on the table, and rummaged through it for a bottle or beaker for her. Finding one, he handed it to Bones to feed her. Taking it from Booth's hand, she thanked him with a smile, then said to Maria, 'We saw you at the Olympics by pure chance. Parker spotted you.'

Before Maria could respond Booth looked around, then asked, 'Where _is _Parker? And come to think of it, where is everybody else..?'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Home Park**

**14.01PM**

'Thanks. Keep the change,' Parker said, handing over thirty dollars of his vacation money the cab driver, with an edgy smile. As the cab drew away from the curb, Parker slipped this loaded knapsack over his arms, and tucked away his wallet. He ran along the path that lead into the skating park and ramps. It was swinging with kids doing tricks and busy with noise, music and laughter, as usual. He came to a rushed standstill at the top of one of the cement bowls, and looked around for his friends.

The sound of wheels on wood and a rush of air hit him when a boy of his age came deftly off the bowl, and landed effortlessly beside him. 'Park, hey, good to see ya! How's it hangin'?'

'To the right,' Parker retorted, forcing a smile to his worried face.

'We've missed you, where's ya wheels? I've been texting ya all week.' They performed an intricate trendy, hand greeting and finished it with a bump of knuckles.

'Matt, sorry about that. Can't explain right now. But, can I borrow your board for while, I need to check something out?'

'What's up - you look kinda freaked out?'

'Can I borrow it?' There was another interrupting flash of air and splash of colour as another of his friends joined them on the lip of the bowl. Parker blushed bright red, seeing who it was, and felt Matt secretly nudge his flank with a wry smile; understanding why he was turning pink.

'Hey, Park,' Gabby said softly, whipping of her crash helmet, and shaking out her long auburn hair. Parker gulped, his eyes going all misty for a moment as he stared at the coolest; prettiest, smartest, best boarder, lab partner, girl in his year, who was the secret crush off his life. She saw his eyes drift, then laughed, nudging him to come out of it. Parker thought she looked spectacular as usual, but shook his head to clear it, then his expression turned solid when he remembered why he was here.

'Hi, Gabby, you look fine.' She batted away his bold compliment, waiting for him to explain his recent absence. 'This is gonna sound messed up but I _swear _on my sister's life it's true.' They turned equally serious like him, and listened intently to his secretive voice, 'There's some crazy guy at the lake - he's gonna kill a load of people - kids and _babies _with a chemical weapon called VX. It'll screw up the park for months - years maybe. You can't smell, taste it, or see it, but when you start coughing and…' Parker trailed off with the memory of attack filling his eyes. Gabby swallowed hard, made anxious by his demeanour and revelation. 'Pelant's already tried to kill my Dad and friend with it. I don't know what I'm doing here really, or what I can do, all I know is I _have _to help Max and Hacker stop him - they're here somewhere too -,' he told them, looking around, 'and a few FBI Agents.'

'Wooow, you should stop sniffing that glue, Man,' Matt balked sarcastically. But Gabby narrowed her eyes at Parker, judging he didn't look like he was bullshitting. She thought he looked terrified, so she shoved Matt away a little, then tugged on Parker's shirt.

'Saddam Hussein used VX and mustard gas in Halabja - it was _gross_. He killed thousands of his own people.' Parker nodded to confirm it was, in reality, much worse to witness first hand. 'I saw in the papers - you're Dad's house got blown up. Is it something to do with the guy that did that?' Parker nodded, dropping his head, and twitching in his sneakers, remembering that night too vividly. He did tell her he was caught in it, not needing her sympathy. Gabby's next secretive question embolden him, 'What do you need us to do?' Parker looked directly into her eyes, and smiled for her immediate belief and bravery; never doubting it, having seen her fearless skills on the ramps.

'Us?' Matt asked, not liking being dragged into the party. Parker ripped out a picture of Pelant from his knapsack to show them who they were looking for. But Gabby also noted what else was stashed in his pack, and her eyes widened with shock.

Seeing her shock, Parker smiled hesitantly, then said quickly, 'I came prepared.' Gabby gulped, then took the photo from his hand, and nodded.

Matt took the shot from her hand to check out the man he spoke of. 'So, we should get to the lake then. What do we do if we find him?'

'Let's find him first - I don't think we have much time. He already knows what I look like, so I need to cover my hair or something - I don't want him recognising me.'

'Sensible. Take my bandana and board, I'll ride my bike.'

Gabby swapped the said items with Parker, while he instructed, 'Matt, you get to the café and have a drink - check out the boats and canoes. We'll need to contact each other too.'

'I've got my iPhone,' Matt said, waving it. Gabby waved her BlackBerry too. 'What about you?' Parker shook his head, not having a cell because it was locked up in the bunker. Matt then whistled over his twin brother, catching his attention with the ear-piercing call. Simon came up to them, panting, and grinning carefree. 'Cell - give us your cell, Park needs it.'

'Why?' Matt ripped it out of his pocket under his protests, and sulked when he handed it to Parker. Gabby stood so close to Parker he almost sighed pathetically as she checked the cell had her number on it. It didn't, so she entered it efficiently, then handed it back to him with a copper smile.

'Ok, let's split up. Matt - café -,' he nodded sternly, 'Gabby - circle the lake -,' she nodded, then blew out hard nervously, 'I'll check out the playground at the far end.' They he nodded at them. 'Can we do conference calls with these?'

'Yep. Sort of. Here, let me.' Matt started fiddling with the keypads, then Parker's borrowed cell started ringing. 'Answer it, then put it on hold, and toggled between the held calls to speak to Gabby.' Parker nodded, getting the gist, then Gabby called his as well until they were all connected.

'Cool. If you spot him don't go near him, ok?' Parker warned solemnly.

Si, asked, blissfully unaware of the danger he was putting himself in if his offer was accepted, 'What can I do?'

Parker handed him Pelant's picture, and warned grimly, 'If you see this guy - get as _faaar _away from him a possible.' Si nodded slowly, while staring at Pelant's image. By the time he looked up the trio were already nearly out of sight…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Bunker**

**Armoury**

'I can't believe they went without me,' Booth mumbled, lifting his chin as Ange fitted him with a pin camera to his t-shirt, and put a state-of-the-art earpiece in.

Welling with tears again, and holding Christine preciously close to her, Bones explained logically, 'I'm not surprised they did, Booth. You've been severely compromised physically and emotionally. You're still not fit for duty.'

'I'm fit enough - fitter than Max. You heard what Maria said, he's only just got over his last chemo round.'

'I understand but he has Hacker and three of his colleagues with him. Their plan seems sound and well thought out.' This time unable to check it, Bones blurted her emotional blackmail, with her heart breaking all over again, 'I don't want you to go, Booth, stay here - with us, your family…'

Stunned, Ange glanced to Bones, never expecting her to say that to him aloud. But she understood why; she'd only just got her family back and now they were putting themselves in mortal peril again.

Booth stepped into her space, kissed Christine's head and then Bones' lips. He whispered in her ear, 'Please, don't tell me not to go…' Before Bones could reply Jack hobbled in with assistance from Sweets: both looking grave.

Jack rasped his information, trying to be as calm and gentle as he could, 'Parker isn't anywhere in the bunker - we double checked.' Bones felt the colour draining from her face, and her lungs emptied. She instinctually held Christine tighter. Scythed by the revelation, Booth crumpled too, his world disintegrating again. The pain he felt yesterday was a scratch compared to what he felt throughout his body now. 'His wallet has gone and so has his knapsack. And he had two split scenes up on his TV, one of the lounge and one of the beach.' They all knew he'd probably heard what Max and Hacker had planned and told them about Home Park. Bones leant into Booth's brow, and rolled her head slightly against it; sharing his anguish. Their brief emotional respite and euphoria ebbed away yet again.

Cam came trotting in followed by a flushed Caroline just as Sweets chipped in, 'I imagine, with what we told him last evening about his heroism, he's foolishly taken it to heart. He thinks he can conquer Pelant single-handedly. Much like you, Booth.'

Ange wanted to smack his face for that absurd psycho-babble, and bristled. But she was amazed when Booth said very calmly, 'No, give him the credit he deserves, Sweets. This is not heroism, it's fear, dread and anger - the need to protect what he loves.' With a fire in his belly, Booth snatched a firearm off the wall and clips for it, tucking it in his belt, and draping his t-shirt over it, continuing seamlessly, 'And he _loves _Home Park and to have it destroyed and the families that go there, including ours, would to him be an unimaginable atrocity. He's gone to help if he can, to _help_, not kill...' Sweets looked around all the faces staring at him, even Daisy was looking at him as if she didn't understand him anymore. 'What else has he taken?' Booth asked Jack to check. Ange assisted him at pace.

They all looked to Cam as she informed, 'He's taken morphine shots, and the remaining VX antidotes from the dispensary.'

'Two gas masks and a Tazer gun,' Ange added, after checking the well stocked stores against the remaining inventory.

Bones asked now, 'Firearm?'

Jack shook his head. 'No. Help not kill - I think that's perfectly clear from the evidence.' Then he looked to Sweets and saw his eyes glaze.

'I apologise - I didn't mean to imply - or offend… I just - the pressure is… I'm struggling with all that's happened - happening. Excuse me…' Caroline watched him retreat quickly out the door, looked around the stunned faces, she then went after him.

'Booth?' Bones said softly, he looked into her eyes. 'We're not a whole family without Parker. Go get him back.' Having given him the green light, even though he would have gone without it, meant the world to him having her support.

Ange quickly interrupted, 'We'll follow you via the camera, and of course, you can talk to us and you'll be able to hear us via the earpiece. Test it,' she instructed, grabbing her tablet, and swiped the screen a few times, then nodded at him to try it. Booth turned slowly in a circle, seeing her nod as the view on her tablet changed. 'Say something.'

'How do I get outta here?' Ange nearly smiled, quickly heading for the door, she pecked Jack's lips en route. Then they all followed her down to the basement, as she explained, 'I insisted on a second exit from the bunker.' They were all glad of that now. 'Follow the tunnel for about half a mile, it splits in two, turn right. The code is: 5,24,9,20 - reverse it to get back in.'

'How did Parker know that?' Cam enquired, perplexed.

'Parker's very bright. That's the numerical representation of the word _exit_ .' Ange grinned at Bones for her quick intuition. 'And I suspect, Jack, you gave Max the code before he left with Christine and it probably gave him the idea for the Daniel code.' Jack nodded to confirm, struggling to keep pace with them in his weakened state. Cam assisted him along.

'Actually, I told Parker it when I gave him the tour.'

Moments later they were on a gantry high above the reactor core below in the centre of the room. There were other machines whirring and thudding too. The noise wasn't deafening but raced their hearts for it nonetheless. 'Over there,' Ange pointed, then trotted down the steps followed by Booth and Bones. Cam stayed up top with Jack, watching Ange unlock the blast door with the code.

Booth pulled it open, looked down the low, lit stone tunnel, and paused. Ange handed him a set of keys, 'The tunnel will take you straight up into Jack's garage. Take the red quad bike.' He nodded, pocketing the keys. Ange stepped away to give them some privacy after she kissed his cheek, and whispered, 'Take care, Sweetie. We're with you all the way.'

Turning to face Bones and Christine, he smiled at Christine, then kissed her brow, holding his lips to her, closing his eyes; imprinting his love on her. Bones watched his delicate farewell, trying not to cry again.

'Wish me luck,' he urged, caressing Bones' damp cheek with his palm, then brushing a glistening teardrop off a lash with his thumb, then delicately sucked off her salty essence from his skin.

With love-drenched eyes, Bones said, 'Luck is a faithless friend - I'd rather pray...' Moved, Booth grinned, then kissed her passionately with an all too brief swirl of his soft dextrous tongue around hers, then pecked her moist lips several times. With one more kiss for Christine, he trotted down the tunnel and away...

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! **

**Above Ground **

**Ten Minutes Later**

Watching a red quad bike leave the massive garage while having a crafty cigarette behind it, Apricot Nine, straightened his spine. Then he squatted down so he couldn't be spotted as it passed him at speed. He recognised Agent Booth immediately riding it. He stubbed out his snout, snatching a cell from his Velcro pocket, running back to his armoured vehicle. He manically waved a couple of other sentries over to join him.

They sprinted over, and leapt into the truck, as he said down the line, 'Sir, A9. Agent Booth just left the estate on a red quad bike - heading east at speed. Plate: 3ATM1DU5T. In pursuit…' Their heavy truck screamed out of the gates, and swung right on two wheels, rocking the occupants over inside, then screeched back onto four tires, and raced off down the road. Clinging on, A9 grinned smugly, and waited to hear the inevitable.

"_Satellite tracking enabled. Waiting - waiting… Vehicle 3ATM1DU5T detected. Heading east at sixty one MPH. Eagle-eye alerted. Sending vehicle route to your SAT NAV now..."_

A9 looked at the Booth's progress plotted on the trucks SAT NAV, and thought the bugging of Hodgins many vehicles inspired, now it had unexpectedly paid off. A9 confirmed coolly, 'Receiving data…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**A/N: ***Pant, pant* Will Parker and his friends spot Pelant or will he be in disguise? Will Hacker and Max be too late to save the day, will Booth? Christine is reunited with her Da-da but will that be the last time she see's him? As zero hour approaches who will prevail - The Team, Apricot or will Pelant commit his atrocity on the unsuspecting folks of Washington DC? Check back soon for the climax to **Pelant,** if you're so inclined. (Aiming for Sunday night). Love & hugs, Lebxeb XX.


	32. Chapter 32

**Disclaimer: **All characters portrayed here are fictional. No infringement of rights intended. Bones & its characters are a product of Fox Inc. & not mine. No financial gain is received from this work of fiction.

**Summary: **"Nothing is what it seems…" - Seeley Booth.

**Rating: M (For peril & violent imagery)**

**Thanks**: (In no particular order) - **JenE**: Fantastic 2 hear - empathy _is _love. Thx & X's. **Ranger042376**: Nearly there. Well done 4 sticking with this! Kudos & hugs. XX. **Jsboneslover**: Warriors breed warriors, as you say. Bones may have 2 - read on. Thx again & hugs. XX. **Guest**: Ha. It's here! Read on. Massive thx & XX. **Boneslady**: THX U! God, no! That would B an unimaginable _disaster _in my book_!_*EEK* XX. **Maryfan**: HA. _GOOD _- hang in - more below. Many thx & hugs. XX. **PARMR**: I haven't! Read on, dear friend. Again solid thx & X's.

_Popcorn & soda at the ready? Good. Ok, here we go…_

**Pelant**

**Chapter XXXII**

**14.43PM**

**Washington DC**

**Home Park**

**Public Rest Rooms**

Tony glanced to his watch, twitching with nervous excitement in his absurdly oversized, scarlet boots, then looked back into the mirror to touch up his face with greasepaint. 'Chris, aren't you ready yet? I don't wanna be late, Man. _Shake _a leg…'

Pelant zipped up his skin-tight wetsuit to his neck, then stepped into the hugely baggy pants with a hoop for a waistband: bobbled-boots already attached, and lopped the thick rainbow braces over his shoulders, as he said casually, calmingly, 'Chill out, Tony. Josh told me you'd wig out. I know the routine off by heart - I won't let you down. Those cute little kids and babies are gonna _die _laughing, you'll see…'

Tony grinned falsely wide to check he had his massive smile in place, topping himself off by putting on a lop-sided bowler hat with a plastic yellow sunflower jutting out of it, and crooned back, pre-empting his success, '_Yeeeah_, you're right, they will. I just hope the parents dig deep in their pockets after - the rent's due.' Pelant grinned, buttoning up the long, patched tartan coat. Then as cool as an iceberg he tucked the can of VX in the inside pocket of the ridiculous gaudy coat.

Coming out of the cubicle, Pelant sniggered when he saw Tony in his humorous silly get-up. Still mildly anxious though, Tony asked, 'Where's ya hat?' Pelant produced it from his knapsack with a flourish, and plonked it on his head, tapping the top to secure it. The hat had tuffs of yellow hair sticking out of it at the sides. Tony nodded, adding, 'String of hankies?' Pelant patted his right pocket, and pulled one end out so it was dangling. Again, Tony smiled, with an assured nod. 'Squeaky red nose?' Pelant popped it out of his other pocket, put it on, then waggled it, transformed. Pelant grinned hard and wide in his jolly greasepaint, ready to go. Tony smiled back, patting his shoulder: much calmer. 'Now, remember - your name is Bongo, I'm Bingo.'

Pelant confirmed, feeling his cock thicken with his twisted excitement, 'Bongo, Bingo, got it - s'not rocket science…' Laughing, they grabbed the rest of the kit, and began to make their way towards the entertainment platform…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Simultaneously**

**Home Park**

**East Side Parking Lot**

The frenetic heart-racing drive to Home Park had Booth panting before he jumped the lights to speed into the parking lot. He was honked and swore at, but he didn't notice, nor had he any idea he'd been tracked by Apricot. As soon as he picked an open bay in the packed lot, his wild eyes snagged on something he recognised. He saw Daniel's sparkling chrome-plated Harley Davidson resting on its stand, and slammed on the brakes of his quad to double check. Pelant, he realised, was already here; he was certain of it. 'That's Daniel's. Pelant's here,' he told them listening back at the bunker. Then he drove on into the bay, and jumped off, pocketing the keys.

**(( **_"Ok," Ange confirmed, as they all watched the big screen, still catching their breaths; having ridden along with Booth via the camera attached to him. But Ange hadn't been idle while he'd raced there, and informed, "I've found the frequency Hacker's using, and I'm patching you though now - give it a minute or two…" They watched the bouncy rushing images as Booth sprinted into the park heading towards the lake, with their heart and hope racing with him. _**))**

To Booth's dismay and concern the pretty park's open grassland was awash with happy people and families enjoying the sultry afternoon. Some boys were playing soccer and had sweaters for goalposts. He ran straight through their noisy game. Joggers tracked along the meandering paths: while kids on bikes with stabilizers were pursued by anxious mothers, he noted too. Small packs of teens sat on the grass hanging out, gossiping, laughing and fiddling with their cell phones; Booth dodged around the covens. He looked into every male face he saw with his beady eyes, getting more and more desperate as the time foretold neared.

Coming up to the lake just a hundred paces away, Booth narrowed his eyes, and began to slow a little, trying not to look so conspicuous now. Wiping his brow of sweat, and panting hard, he heard in his ear, **"**_**I see Parker, Booth**_**," **Bones implored with relief, propping Christine up beside her while she munched on a rusk, watching the images next to Michael, doing exactly the same as her. Booth nodded fast, seeing Parker at exactly the same time: easily picking out his familiar shape from the throng of the ambling people around the lake's path: despite his disguise. **"**_**Ten past two**_**, **_**heading south**_**, **_**red bandana, on the skateboard**_**." **

Booth made for him immediately. With his eyes fixed on Parker skating casually, weaving between the walkers circumnavigating the lake, Booth confirmed, 'Yep - I got him…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**14.55PM**

**Café **

**North End Of The Lake**

The tables of the café were mostly full the people relaxing and enjoying the view or drink. A gentle wave of amusement rippled from them as two clowns walked by. Looking around to them, Matt grinned, his mind on something else more important than two dicks in stupid costumes. Matt returned to rolling his skateboard backwards and forwards under his right foot, while sipping from a wet can of diet soda. He had his cell in hand and at his ear, and pretended to be cool, while he continued to check out all the men that passed by or ordered snacks. 'Gabby, I got nothin' - any luck?' he asked quietly, spotting her circling the lake path in the opposite direction as Parker. He noted they weren't far from meeting up again at the south end.

"_No - Parker's getting close. I'll ask him in a sec." _

Suddenly Matt sat up straight on seeing something to concern him. 'There's-a-guy-making-for-him, _see _him?' he asked urgently, clearly the surge of adrenalin blasting away his cool-dude façade.

"_Yeah, chill, that's his Dad," _Gabby calmed. _"He's gonna be pissed with him, I reckon…"_

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**West Side Of The Lake**

**Midway Down Its Flank**

Two happily chatting clowns walked behind Max, who was sat on a bench next to the lake almost at the mid-section of it. He only gave them a cursory glance as they waddled towards the entertainment platform. Max had a bag of bread in his hand, and threw chunks into the water and to the bolder feathered friends around his feet. In disguise: wearing a long grey wig and matching beard, and adorned with clothes that had seen better days, he flicked his eyes around. Then is eyes fell on Booth, who he thought stuck out like a sore sweaty thumb. He cussed under his breath, annoyed but not surprised he'd followed them. Then picked out who he was heading towards, and felt his tension mount.

Distracted, Max looked up suddenly into the sky, hearing the familiar sounds of rotor blades, and his jaw gritted when he made the connection. 'Hacker, helicopter, Parker and Booth are here, he's been followed,' Max whispered, folding away the bag of bread, and putting it in the other plastic bag at his feet.

"_Got it covered -," _Hacker said with tangible strain in his voice in Max's earpiece, _"hold your position…"_

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**East Side of The Lake**

**Riding On The Carousel**

'Did you hear that?' Genny asked with concern. Thierry nodded, trying to follow Booth as they were going around and up and down on the brightly painted galloping horses. 'We should get off,' she suggested, getting dizzy anyway, and saw lots of children pulling their parents from the benches to go watch the clowns that were setting up on the entertainment stand. There were already a large gathering of moms, babies and under tens waiting for the show to start. They were angling for the best spot in the front and all sat expectantly on the grass. A balloon vendor carrying what looked like a massive helium-filled bunch of flowers gravitated towards his next selling opportunity. Genny could already see the young kids pester their parents for a balloon, and smiled, thinking her Danny would be just the same. She felt a wave of longing to see him wash over her, but forced that away; trying to stay focused on the job at hand.

The ride began to slow and they dismounted, but were nearly knocked over by the rush of small people towards the grass surrounding the square entertainment platform. Thierry jumped down, and reached for her with both hands. Taking them, she jumped down, and looked directly into his eyes, offering in him a thank you for his chivalry. 'Look at them all, Thierry, all kids love a clown…' He looked over his shoulder, then his gentle smile vanished when he saw how many there were. The number nearing a hundred by the second. Snapping his eyes back to hers: she saw the epiphany blaze in his eyes and a cloud drifted over her soul to chill it. The children were like excited hungry bees around a sweet honey pot and probably walking into Pelant's sticky death-trap.

'Max, Hacker, the _clowns_ - look at all the kids,' she urged, sounding panicked, but didn't. Thierry took her damp hand, and tugged her fast to stand at the back of the gathering: behind some other parents to scan the assembling crowd for Pelant.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Simultaneously**

Reaching Parker, grabbing his arm, Booth didn't have time to reprimand him for coming when he heard Genny's words in his ear, and glanced to the end of the lake. 'Oh. Jesus…'

**(( **_In the bunker Christine chirped merrily, 'Paa-par!' pointing at her brother on the huge screen. Sitting beside her, Michael began to clap, lighting up as he recognised Parker too. Christine chuckled, and began clapping as well; mimicking her older play date. Although the tense adults thought that incredibly sweet, this wasn't the time to dwell on their cuteness and affinity. _**))**

Busted, Parker blurted, 'Sorry, Dad, I just _had _to come.' Booth nodded, pushing his earpiece into his ear harder, then walked fast towards the gathering.

Confused, Parker followed him, but Booth pushed him away, then stopped again. 'Go, _now_, get outta here,' Booth ordered quietly, and severely, with the fiercest eyes Parker had ever seen him show him. That look terrified him, he gulped, but shook his head.

'I can help you find him. My friends are looking out for him too.' Then about to show him what was in his knapsack, Parker added, 'I've brought…' but he trailed off when Booth interrupted him, by grabbing his shoulders.

'Parker, I haven't got time to debate this with you - _please_, for the love of God - go _long_…' Parker knew he was referring to the last happy time they were here and played football together: and understandably wanted him to run as far away to safety as he could. He felt his eyes burn with that memory, and the pride he saw in his father's eyes for him for coming to protect what he cherished: to try and preserve it.

Parker gulped down a determined breath, grabbing Booth's forearms, saying impassioned, 'If it happens, I wanna be with _you_, Dad...' There was nothing else Booth could say to that but admire him more for his willingness to sacrifice and be with him if the worst should happen. Booth felt his heart wrench inside his chest, and snatched him into a crushing clinch which Parker reciprocated ferociously.

Relenting, Booth mumbled into his hair, 'Ok, Son. Keep looking - but over there.' Parker nodded, remounted the skateboard, and shot off to meet up with Gabby. Booth trotted onwards towards the stand.

**(( **_Everyone in the bunker were inevitably moved by their exchanges but Bones quickly brought them back on track with, 'Booth, get closer to the crowd. I'll be able to tell if Pelant is one of them.' Everybody linked up now heard her instruction, and watched as Booth jogged towards the stand. Bones narrowed her calculating, measuring eyes, concentrating on the adult males hovering around the children. _

_They heard Booth mutter his confession, "__**I hate fecking clowns - they're not funny and freak me out…" **_

_Notwithstanding their rising tension, Bones grinned, only just, saying softly, 'Please don't shoot the clowns, Booth - the children adore them…'_** ))**

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**15.01PM**

**South End of The Lake**

**Entertainment stand**

The seventy strong, increasing crowd of smiling expectant faces hushed when the two clowns bounced onto the stand. Tony removed the signboard which read: _Here At Three, The Brothers Bingo & Bongo. All Chucklers Welcome. _

The sun-drenched outdoor stage was set. Brightly coloured buckets were strategically placed; juggling balls, hoops and fake custard cum foam on paper plates lined up on a small table draped with a luminous lime cloth. It was embossed with The Brothers Bingo & Bongo in gold lettering. The sun was beating down, the children were poised with bated breath, and it was time.

With nerves jangling for his big moment, Tony looked to his stand-in partner who was rocking in his crazy shoes, and nerveless, smiled at him; clearly waiting for him to begin their skit. Tony took a deep breath, stepped forward, then threw his arms wide, shouting, 'GOOD NIGHT EVERYONE!' and smacked Bongo in the face. The kids erupted at Bongo's fake backwards exaggerated prat fall and the silly greeting.

'Can you see anyone that might be him?' Booth asked, getting nearer, watching the clowns start an energetic pretend fight with a hateful sneer. They ran around each other, and scurried through each others legs to a wail of laughter from the ecstatic clapping children. The clowns kicked each other's butts, tweaked bright shiny noses, then started throwing juggling balls at each other and back again, in rapid succession. Nobody seemed to care that they dropped a few; thinking it part of the act.

**(( **_Bones shook her head. "No, get a little closer, Booth." The closer he got to the stand Christine and Michael watched puzzled, but enthralled by the bright costumes and slap-stick manoeuvres. "I can't see anyone in the crowd that matches Pelant. Turn to the left slowly, Booth." Daisy, Sweets, Jack and Ange gathered around Bones to add more eyes to the search. Caroline watched over the amused little ones, sitting beside them on the couch, chewing slowly on a liquorice toffee. _**))**

"_What about the clowns?" _Booth heard Genny interrupt, still checking along with Thierry. They all thought that a long shot, except Bones; her eyes immediately focused on them.

**(( **_"This is very difficult - the clowns costumes are quite deceptive and illusory," Bones informed flatly. _**))**

'No shit,' Booth muttered, spotting Genny and Thierry meandering through the standing crowd behind the children, but didn't acknowledge their, _we-got-nothing, _shoulder shrugs. Max listened in as he walked slowly towards the south too, seeing a girl on a bike catch up with Parker and talk to him as they watched on from a distance. 'Come on, Bones, tick-tock,' Booth pressured, his nostrils flaring, seeing the clowns start using more props to send the young audience into fits of giggles he didn't get.

"_Sssh -,_' Max chastised, interrupting, "_give her time, Booth."_

Not meaning it, Booth retorted, increasingly agitated, 'Times up, I'm shootin' both of 'em,' with his hand on his weapon in the front of his jeans. Suddenly Tony picked up a yellow bucket, jumped down off the stand, then ran towards the lake. Everyone gasped with the same thought. 'Crap, could-it-be-in-the-water-already?' Booth fired his question at anyone, flinching, secretively drawing his weapon, and flicking off the safety.

**(( **_"Unlikely, Booth. Its in an aerosol form, remember? He'll need to agitate it with the polymer to disperse it efficiently." Jack nodded to back up her theory. "Be vigilant, Booth - keep moving around, please…" _**)) **

Booth relaxed only slightly, seeing Tony scoop up water in the bucket, run back, then pretend to trip as he jumped back up, and threw, what everyone thought was water, over Bongo. But it was confetti; he'd made a clever swap of the buckets. All the children gasped, and ducked on the far side, expecting to get soaked. Bongo began silent belly laughing, then grabbed a paper plate covered in a mountain of foam, and held it innocently behind his back, while, a supposedly puzzled Bingo/Tony, ran back to the lake for another bucket of water to dowse his brother. Booth started walking slowly around the crescent of children and adults towards the balloon vendor; giving those in the bunker the best views as he could.

**(( **"_Booth, which one is Bongo?_" _Bones asked, with piercing eyes lanced on Tony with a bucket in hand__**.**_** )) **

Booth pushed his earpiece into the shell of his ear, trying to hear her over the laughter and clapping coming from the crowd, then realising Christine and Michael were chuckling too now. 'Say again, Bones..?' Max came to his side. Booth gave him a sideways glance, not recognising him immediately, then took a double take. 'Max?' Parker and Gabby neared cautiously too, ratchet-ting up Booth's torque another notch.

Max nodded to confirm it was indeed him, then whispered surprisingly coolly, 'Tell her Bongo is the one with the tartan jacket, flashing red nose and a plate of foam.'

**(( **"_Thanks, Dad_," _Bones said, hearing him clearly. _**)) **

Max replied sweetly, 'You're welcome, Honey. Oh. And FYI, Booth, it appears you were followed by Apricot. They must have tagged the quad.' Shocked, Booth looked up, finally noticing the black helicopter circling high above the park, knowing they would be coming on foot too. Then Max nudged his flank, nodding towards three trotting, heavily armed, Apricot Agents jogging in their direction in the distance: that were getting worried looks from other park users. 'I got this - you keep looking.' Booth gave Max a sharp nod as he walked off towards them, obviously with a plan.

Wild darting eyes, evermore anxious and nervous as the tension built, snapped from person to person; when they licked ice creams, or drank from cans, spoke into cells, or rummaged innocently in knapsacks, purses or pockets. They looked for sweating brows or equally nervous expressions trying to get a hit on Pelant skulking amongst them. Rabidly frustrated Booth postulated, 'Maybe he knows we're onto him, and split,' said against the backdrop of a carefree rising crescendo of deafening laughter and applause.

**(( **"_No, Booth, this is his final barbaric act - his coup de grace. He'll not walk away from it,' Sweets told him with authority and a certainty that chilled all of them to the marrow. His statement didn't console just intensified their efforts. _**)) **

Drenched three times by his brother, Bongo mimed to the crowd he had an idea to get back at his mischievous brother, and scurried under the table out of sight for a few moments. His disappearance was missed by Booth and the others as he looked over to Max as he forestalled the Apricot Agents with his masterful bumbling, drunken hobo performance.

Under the table Pelant quickly drew out from his knapsack a gas mask with a fake rubber snorkel attached, and put it on. It was absurd and bright pink; had huge floppy ears and a long trunk hanging down that made him look like a Disney elephant. Gloves came out next, and were adorned. He knew the kids would think the mask hilarious and fool everyone into thinking he was protecting himself from more buckets of water from his brother. Pelant's excitement peaked as the moment approached, and basked in his ingenious plan thought up when he'd seen this routine months ago on YouTube. Making the necessary adaptations to Josh's prop hadn't taken long nor was it difficult to achieve, he recalled arrogantly. Pulling out the can of VX from his pocket, marked now in gaudy large letters as: _SPRAY PAINT_, he shook it vigorously. Then Pelant leapt out from under the table to a roar from the crowd, and sneakily waved the can at them. It was as if lightening had struck from a clear blue sky and froze Parker, Gabby, Genny and Thierry in their quaking shoes. Surprised by the roar, Booth spun, and lanced eyes with Pelant over the heads of the crowd, stunned for an instant that stretched out into an eternity.

**(( **_"BOOOTH!," Bones yelled, horrified over the cacophony, immediately recognising Pelant behind the outlandish mask____and what his plan was. _**))**

Max, hearing her manic yell in his ear, snapped a pair of handcuffs around two different wrists of the Apricot Agents trying to push him away, and punched the other in the face with all his might, knocking him to the ground. Then he ran off towards the skate park, leaving two locked together, the other, dazed, on his ass, and holding his broken, bleeding nose.

Pelant looked just as stunned to see Booth alive and here, then charge like a bull through the thick crowd to get to him: knocking confused people out of the way. Booth yelled, '_NO_!' The balloon vendor, knocked aside by Booth, accidentally let go of his merchandise, and they sailed off into the lucid sky, drifting away north like a pretty rainbow cloud.

Pelant knew he only had one chance so he took it with evil aplomb. Pelant pushed down on the nozzle to unleash the VX with a wide arching sweep over the sitting, hysterically laughing children to mortified gasps from all in the bunker. But the spray didn't emerge to his acute surprise, and everyone else's. Pelant changed his plan immediately for self-preservation and give himself another chance to finish what he'd started.

Tony looked bewildered that the innocent prop had failed, then watched dumbstruck as Bongo jumped off the stand, dragging a four year old girl up in his free hand. He slung her under his arm, and pelted across the grass and away, re-shaking the can as he made his escape. '_NO_-MY-BABY!' her mother screamed, running after the child-snatcher.

'IT DIDN'T WORK!' Parker yelled over the horrified screams of the crowd that now realised this wasn't part of the tomfoolery. Booth sprinted over the stand, jumped down the other side in Pelant footsteps, and hared after him, aiming his weapon. Attempting to chase after his Dad through the pandemonium of parents now rushing to snatch up their precious children and take them to safety, along with Genny and Thierry coming from another direction: Parker filled his lungs to capacity, barging all out of the way, and tore off as fast as he could to join up with his Dad.

**(( **_"DON'T SHOOT! THE KID-THE KID!" Jack pleaded to Booth, seeing the child squirming, kicking, and screaming under Pelant's arm, fearing he would hit the terrified girl. They all watched the jerky terrifying dash of Booth, and heard his straining lungs rasp for oxygen to fuel his lactic-filling muscles. Bones grit her jaw, silently urging him to run faster but knew his weakened body was curtailing his valiant efforts. Hearing the frantic sobbing shrieks of the mother tugged painfully at the heartstrings of the helpless new parents watching on too. _**))**

'STOP HIM-STOP HIM!' Booth implored the boys playing soccer ahead. They came to a confused standstill but just watched a weird looking clown head towards the parking lot. The covens of girls he'd passed earlier all jumped up as the clown ran through them in an attempt to shield himself, knowing Booth wouldn't fire if he kept close to other innocents. 'RUN-RUN!' Booth wailed his warning to them, waving them away, instinctively knowing what Pelant was going to try. In a cruel gesture, Pelant aimed the can of VX at the screaming, scattering girls, and tried to spray them but it failed again to his wrath. He shoved it in his oversized right pocket, swapping it for keys as he saw the glint of his getaway bike in the distance.

**(( **_With total amazement they watched Parker overtake his Dad as fast as a bolt shot from an archers crossbow, holding what looked like a heavy black gun in his right hand. They heard him order Pelant to, __**"DROP THE BABY!" **__nervously aiming his weapon at him. They could hear the petrified mother's wailing increase in the background as she ran with a flagging Booth, obviously seeing the gun Parker was aiming. _**))**

Pelant had already started the bike, and held the squirming girl against his body. 'Mommy, Mommy!' she sobbed, reaching futilely for her distraught mother. They saw Pelant laugh manically, and rip off his hideous gas mask, tossing it at Parker a few too many metres away. He kicked the bike off the stand, and headed for the exit onto the main road that circled the huge park. But as he did, Daniel's Chapter of nine large Harley Davidson's: atop with menacing Hells Angels all in mourning black, except for Stars and Stripes bandanas, barred his exit. Heavily tattooed, mirrored RayBan's adorned and vengeful expressions fixed, they revved their tuned, thudding machines like the warhorses of the apocalypse.

Pelant stopped laughing, and gulped.

Weaving through the cars, and coming to halt, Parker insisted, "_**Drop **_the GIRL, PELANT!' With his exit locked out, Pelant spun the bike around with a plume of smoke coming off the back tire, then headed straight for Parker and towards the other exit on the west side of the park. Parker stood firm, tensed with weapon poised, and squeezed the trigger with his lungs on fire, absolutely terrified.

**(( **_In the bunker they held their breaths, watching the bumpy images. Ange swapped her weight, biting her lip, held tight from behind by Jack. Bones had her hands clenched by her sides, then muttered to him, although she knew he couldn't hear her, 'Wait, Parker, wait, not yet…' _**))**

As Pelant tore at him Parker jumped aside as he passed, then fired the Tazer gun into the large target of Pelant's back. The electrodes shot through his clothing and wetsuit jolting him with the instant sizzling shock. 'ARRH!' Pelant whelped, swerving on the bike. Just enough voltage got through to make the child slip from his momentary paralyzed body to the ground. She bumped down and bounced, then started to wail again. But at Pelant's speed the electrodes snapped off just as quickly, and Pelant rode off back through the park. The mother wailed her fright, and rushed to her child who sat up, dazed, and was instantly lifted into her mother's arms, reunited. Genny and Thierry were quick to reach her, panting, and checking the little girl out for injuries.

'Is she ok?!' Parker asked nervously: one eye on Pelant the other on the little girl.

Panting, Genny nodded, reassuring, 'Paramedics are on the way.'

Parker heard revving, and looked around to see his Dad racing towards him on the quad. '_Get-on_!' Booth ordered, slowing down just a little. Parker didn't hesitate. Dropping the Tazer, he jumped on, clinging around his Dad's waist for dear life as they sped after Pelant.

Parker looked over his shoulder, expecting to see the scary looking Hells Angels following them, but he couldn't see them anywhere, so asked at Booth's ear, 'Where's Daniel's mates gone?!'

'All part of the plan, Park. Hang tight!' Booth noticed the helicopter was circling lower now, and opened up the throttle to the max, knowing time was of the essence. 'Hacker, can you hear me?! He's gone into the trees - I need directions!'

"_Take the next path on your left, head west, target heading for the other exit_."

Booth confirmed, weaving around the huge tree trunks, missing them by just inches, 'West, got it!'

'_No! _We can cut him off, Dad! Take the short cut - it'll be less busy too,' Parker insisted, pointing north, knowing better. Booth headed north, hearing Hacker cuss in his ear for disobeying him.

'Par-ker knOws da park better than - me or yOu,' Booth warbled as they shot up and over the dusty mogul dunes on the off-road BMX tracks put in a few of years ago. The white-knuckle ride raised hairs on their necks as well as those back in the bunker; hapless and just as breathless.

The pair bounced around in the saddle, screaming over the dunes, leaving the ground on occasion to thump back down heavily in the gullies, leaving a trail of thick churned up dust in their wake. They grunted and groaned when they landed hard and hearts stalled when they took flight. At one point a lone BMX rider shot off the top of a dune to their right, and sailed over their heads, making them duck to miss his wheels. The surprised rider hurled his abuse through the air at them, and crashed and burned on landing. Parker, already flushed and moist, got pinker, hearing his offensive blue tirade, and winced, 'Ooouch…' when he wrecked.

Booth concentrated on the driving but asked, getting disorientated, '_Which-way!_'

'Go that way! LEFT-LEFT!' Parker shouted back, pointing, seeing the tarmac path that he knew headed towards the exit through the narrow subway tunnel that ran under the skate park bowls and ramps. Booth slowed down as they rumbled down the steep hill to meet the path, honking his horn, hoping no unsuspecting jogger would be in their way. Nearly on the path, Pelant shot past them first, from right to left, making Booth slam on their brakes, but too suddenly. '_Ssshit - DAAD_!' Parker blurted accidentally, as Booth sailed over the handlebars, and tumbled three times into a flattened heap on the grass. Parker lurched forwards, and grabbed the handlebars to avoid riding over him.

**(( **"_Oh-My-God-__**Booth**__?!" Bones shrieked, followed by gasps of shock from the others. _

'_Whoooa-DUDE!' Jack exclaimed. _

_To Bones' amazement and to all else, they heard Booth grumble: "__**That's it - now I'm really PISSED off…" **__They saw him get up, sling his leg back over the bike, and scream off again all in the space of thirty seconds. His bare forearms were dust covered, sweating up like a thoroughbred after a long hack, and looked deliciously pumped and sounded savagely angry._

_Ange whispered in Bones' ear, 'I'm a little turned on, is that too perverse?' Bones didn't answer her just offered her a slightly risen left brow in reply._ **)) **

Booth heard it too but didn't comment; he had his eyes fixed on Pelant ahead. He saw Pelant glance behind him, looking a little shaken and sweaty, he judged.

The arched tunnel ahead, surrounded by trees and aesthetically topped with grass, led to the main road ahead and supported the skating bowls and ramps above. The tunnel was empty. Seeing his escape route clear, Pelant raced towards it, as he did, a stinger was thrown across his path by Flynn, and his wheels exploded apart instantly. The bike dropped suddenly as they deflated, and it swerved violently: the screeching engine revving raw. Inevitably Pelant lost balance, and control. He toppled over, hit the ground hard, crushing his leg under the heavy bike, and skidded with the momentum in a shower of sparks down the tunnel. He and the bike slid into the stone wall, and bounced off it mid-tunnel. 'Arh- Arhgh!' Pelant wailed his agony once he came to a juddering halt, grabbing at his twisted knee.

Booth came to screeching halt before the stinger, and jumped off, walking into the tunnel; totally focused on Pelant. Flynn watched him walk in, but quickly stopped Parker from following him inside with the slightest shake of his head. Hacker and Max soon joined his ranks to stop five advancing Apricot Agents while Booth got some pay back. Their standoff was just as intense with weapons aimed at vital organs. Apricot 9 asked with some apprehension in his radio, locking eyes with Flynn who was aiming his weapon between A9's eyes in a double-handed grip, *Click* - 'Permission to clear path with _lethal _force to gain access and retain target…?'

**(( **_Motionless, Cam held her breath, closing her eyes as if praying. Suspiciously Jack strained to hear for the reply over Hacker's thudding heartbeat. Ange, not knowing which way it would go, shook her head slightly; trying to send the command to stand down telepathically. Daisy gripped Sweets wet hand, and pecked his taut flickering cheek in an attempt to calm him. Maria shaded her eyes with her trembling palm, staring blindly at the carpet. Bones scrutinized the image of Pelant being stalked by Booth, feeling his boiling, pent-up rage run in her blood. Caroline popped another toffee into her mouth, and precisely folded up the wrapper into a tiny silver square._ **))**

A few dithering sweaty moments elapsed before they all finally heard: *Click* -_"Denied. Repeat, denied. Hold position."_

Desperate, dazed and with a knurled, bleeding leg, Pelant saw Booth looming large in silhouette, surround by a brilliant white light. Groaning in pain, Pelant pulled his leg out from under the wrecked bike, and hobbled towards the light at the far end like a frightened rat. In front of that light Pelant saw a heavy chain net drop from above like a lead curtain, sealing him inside. He paused when Daniel's Chapter of Hells Angels reappeared again beyond the net, revving loudly, creating an ominous wall of noise which echoed down the tunnel and in Pelant's head. He turned to see Booth striding purposefully, relentlessly towards him.

Trapped, Pelant had no alternative but to surrender and save his slimy skin. 'Arrest me then, Booth, take me in. You win -,' he said with a sickly smile, offering his wrists for him to cuff him, 'rather you than those slippery, _corrupt _bastards up there...' Pelant flicked his eyes towards the black ops helicopter hovering above, waiting to take him in. Pelant knew he'd be tortured or possibly brainwashed by them for what they wanted and preferred the safety of a state prison to that; considering jail the lesser of two evils.

Booth didn't stop coming, but grabbed Pelant by the scruff of the neck, physically picked him up, and slammed him against the tunnel wall, sneering, 'This isn't a _game_, Pelant,' Booth said incredulously. 'And I'm not an Agent anymore - thanks to you. This isn't a citizens arrest either. I thought you'd've worked that out by now, being a _genius _'n' all,' he mocked, then viciously head butted him.

'Aww!' Pelant blanched, feeling his brain rattle, then he focused on Booth's wild eyes. Pelant's pupils dilated with fear when he realised what was about to happen, and felt outmanoeuvred, underpowered and outclassed. Wasting no more time, Booth loaded his right fist with months of hate and frustration, then smashed it with bitter venom across Pelant's sweaty weak jaw. The two molars dislodging were audible in Booth mic and transferred to the bunker.

Pelant's head snapped sideways, his bottom lip burst open, spraying blood into the air along with the teeth. 'That's for _Inger_, this -,' Booth sledgehammer-ed another brutal blow, an upper-cut, into his stomach: taking him off his toes with its force. Pelant jerked backwards against the wall, winded, and spew his stomach contents over the ground with a retching splat. Booth didn't let up: he had months of rage to expel and cleanse himself of. 'This is for _Ethan.._.' Booth hauled him upright again, then kneed him in the groin so hard Pelant's eyes rolled back in his head, his lungs emptied, and crumpled to his trembling knees. Pelant spat blood and vomit from his swollen hanging ripped lips, and saltwater spewed from his eyes, believing Booth had ruptured both testicles. The pain was so excruciating he couldn't make a sound.

Parker twitched, grimacing with narrowed eyes, almost looking away, unable to watch the assault. It was a strange sensation: he wanted his Dad to continue, and at first he rejoiced in Pelant getting his just deserts. But now seeing him a crushed, shivering, pathetic mess his hate for the man had morphed into cautious pity.

'Remember what you did to _Daisy _and AD _Thomas _you - sick - _fuck,_' he reminded, grabbing him by the scruff, then threw Pelant across the gritty ground like a rag doll, pacing over to him again.

Whimpering, snivelling, Pelant scurried further away, begging for mercy he never offered any of his victims, and held up his hand to vainly halt his bristling advance, 'Please, Booth, don't - no more.' Scrambling to his feet, Pelant hobbled towards the far end of the tunnel and chain net.

Booth prowled like a tiger towards him, asking, 'How's it feel, _Pelant_, to be stalked, helpless and bleedin' - _alone_, eh?'

Pelant turned, and ran into the net, clinging on, crying for assistance, 'Help me, he's gonna kill me! _Pleazze_!' But his pleas were drowned out by the Hells Angels as they deliberately revved louder, then let out their clutches, and jerked towards him. Frightened witless, Pelant jumped back but only into Booth's hands. He dragged him into the tunnel away from the net, then tossed him with a feral growl again. 'No, plezz, sorry, sorry,' he whimpered again, but knew his apology wasn't going to be enough, seeing the inferno in Booth's eyes.

Unmoved, Booth took a breath snatching swipe with his foot onto Pelant's flank, cracking a couple of ribs. 'For Dan_-ielll_…!' Pelant twisted into a foetal position, gasping for breath, and hugging himself, writhing in agony. Booth stamped into his fractured ribs for Tasmin with just as much savagery as the last blow. 'For _Tasmin _'n' _Apricot…!' _

'ARH! H-elp me!' Pelant screamed for rescue, attempting to crawl away toward Parker and others standing guard at the other end of the tunnel. All the time the engines of the Harley's thudded a chorus of encouragement: the riders warned off any intruders and the armed Apricot team too: hesitant to breach their menacing black line.

Booth's ferocity increased at an alarming rate, worrying even Bones now. He picked Pelant up again only to thump him down with a flurry of brutal punches and fierce kicks as Booth went primal on him: smashing Pelant into a pulp. Each punch or kick was punctuated by Pelant's groans and Booth's valid reasons, 'For bombs - bugs - _injections _- stealing - lying - for _Parker _- for _Chrissy _- Max - Ange 'n' _Jack_, for, for _BONES_! For watching us _LOVE _each other, _SCARRING_, _TEARING HER APART_!'

**(( **_The uncomfortable bloody images caused most in the bunker to look away to other things and a loud silence crackled the air_. _With arms crossed_, _Cam glanced over her shoulder to Caroline who looked nonchalant, and smoothed the foreheads of the two babies that had long since gently fallen asleep on her ample lap. _

_Fearing too, like all the rest, what Booth was escalating towards, Bones implored gently, slowly, but lacing her words with complete empathy, "Booth, __**Booth **__- I love you, we all do. Look at him - It's over…" All held their breaths, hoping and waiting to see if he would relent. _**))**

Panting heavily, bleeding white knuckles clenched, and muscles rock solid, Booth glared lazers into Pelant; bleeding, sweating and snivelling on the ground. _**"Seeley, please, for me, come away now…"**_ Booth heard again, and felt her velvety tone calm his inner beast and slowly settle his thundering heart. 'Is it over, Bones?' he asked, desperately wanting it to be.

"_**Yes - it's over, my love. Come home." **_Booth's shoulders sagged as his tension drained away from his aching limbs. He blinked away his wrath, and focused clearly, panting measured now, turning himself the right way out again. He took a deep cleansing breath, and blew it out slowly.

'Luv ya too, Dimples,' Booth said sweetly, turned away, and walked towards Parker. A collective sigh of relief was released from everyone. But as Booth focused on Parker's eyes, he noticed his widening when Pelant began to cough incessantly, then started to convulse: leaching rancid bile between his clenched teeth. Booth turned on his heals, standing still, and from a distance watched confused as Pelant's convulsions increased in pace and torturing intensity. So did they in the bunker.

**(( **"_Oh-God, __**no **__- not again…' Ange wilted, horrified by the image of Pelant going through the same atrocious riggers as Jack and Booth had done, and feared for Booth._

_But Jack quickly looked to Bones, asking perplexed, 'It didn't vaporise, did it?' She shook her head to confirm it hadn't. Daisy joined in their quick discussion and debated the possibilities of how he became exposed. _**))**

Parker attempted to run towards Booth but was held back by Max: he snapped his arms around him, not letting him go. 'DAAD! DAD!'

Waving manically, Hacker yelled above the tunnel to the FEMA team on standby, 'SEAL-IT! SEAL-THE-TUNNEL!' Plastic tarpaulins rolled down either end of the tunnel, and started to be sealed with tape almost instantly. As Thierry arrived, panting, Parker broke free from Max's grip, and ran under a section before he could be stopped, and towards his Dad. He dragged two masks out of his knapsack, and skidded to him, holding his breath, and snapped it over his mouth, while handing one to Booth: who seemed frozen in time.

'PUT IT _ON_,DAD!' Parker ordered muffled through the mask, holding one to his face, and to Booth's.

Booth heard Bones say fairly calmly in his ear, _**"Put it on, Booth, just as a precaution. The VX isn't airborne - it didn't vaporise**__." _Booth secured the mask, slowly back-peddling with Parker, unable to look away from the grim spectacle. There was a hideous pop as Pelant's previous damage right leg broke with the violent muscle spasms, and contorted out at a macabre angle followed by his horrifying death throes, and muffled squeals. _**"We believe the can in his pocket has been ruptured, and the viscose substance seeped into his broken skin. It must have happened when he crashed the bike."**_Booth nodded in silent understanding, staring into Pelant's harrowed features as he tried to crawl to him.

'I've-got-the-antidote, shall-I-give-it-to-him?' Parker asked urgently, wide eyed, with it in his hand, and expectantly looked to his Dad. Getting no answer from him, Parker rushed to administer it but Booth snagged him back, slowly shaking his head. 'But - Dad,' he pined, showing him the lifesaving ATNAA's in his trembling palm.

**(( **_Bones hung her head hearing Parker's compassionate question, and seeing Booth stop him, knowing they would be no use now. Nobody delighted in Pelant's repulsive, agonised death but the irony didn't pass them by either. The era of terror they'd all been touched by was close to its end: soon they could all breathe again. _**))**

'It's too late, Parker. It's just a matter of time,' Booth told him quietly, protectively holding him to his side. Parker sagged, and rested his brow on his Dad's chest: half not, half watching Pelant's last torturous moments. With greasepaint smeared: rinsed off by punch; blood, vomit and sweat, and the brightly coloured torn clothing, made him appear even more gruesome and repelling.

Watching in the bunker in stone cold silence, nobody dare move; scared in case, the seemingly unstoppable, Pelant jumped up for one last attack - but it was not to be.

Pelant's fits began to subside, and heartbeat became erratic, then failed as his lungs collapsed in on themselves. Gurgling, blood flow slowing, asphyxiated: his brain was the last organ to fail; even unable to close his lids. The contorted mass of flesh and fractured bones finally lay still. His empty, soulless eyes stared into Booth's: the sound of nine appeased engines drifted away, rotor blades too, and tranquillity returned. The quietness was only broken now by the sound of birdsong and children laughing in the far distance...

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**A/N: **Repercussions, resolutions, restorations? You bet. Epilogue on the way. *wink* I do hope you check back soon to round off this hiatus fiction - **Pelant**. Enjoy the new season 8 of Bones! *Squee!* As always, deeply grateful squishy hugs, Lebxeb. XX. Twitter: Bexbel.


	33. Chapter 33

**Disclaimer: **All characters portrayed here are fictional. No infringement of rights intended. Bones & its characters are a product of Fox Inc. & not mine. No financial gain is received from this work of fiction.

**Summary: What happens when the dust settles? **

**Rating: M **

**Thanks**: See Below.

**Pelant**

**Epilogue**

**(Chapter XXXIII)**

**Ms Caroline Julian's Residence**

**21Hrs After The Events In Home Park**

With cell tucked under her ear, held in place by her shoulder; a stack of files precariously balanced on her forearm, and fumbling to unlock the door with her free hand, Caroline dreaded what she was going to find inside her home. 'Yes, _yes_, I understand, Cherie, but my butt hasn't touched the ground since I got out of that underground palace!' she riled, unusually flustered, wishing she'd never got her cell back. Being without it had been a blessing she'd never expected to enjoy. Now she was seriously considering, accidentally on purpose, dropping it and stamping it out of existence as it hadn't stopped ringing since she put the battery back in. 'I'll be in tomorrow… Yes, well, that'll have to do! _What? _Oh_. _Bite me!' Finally getting her door open with a grunt of triumph, she powered inside, kicked the door closed behind her, and dropped the tipping pile of Pelant related files onto the nearest chair.

The caller still chuntered on in her ear as she scanned her lounge for her three Maine Coon cats, expecting to find the upholstery ripped to shreds and a pile of scats the height of Mount St Helens in the litter tray. But everything looked as she'd left it and in the kitchen too, and thought her starving cats had probably left home or worse, died in her laundry hamper. 'I'm _hanging _up,' she interrupted her Boss, bored with his fractious rant about case loads. 'Don't push me, Clive, _a'm-a-lady-on-the-edge!_' She snapped the cell shut, immediately ripping out the battery, muttering blue-tinged profanities when it struggled with her. Suddenly she was spun by large dark hands, and grabbed into a shocking delicious clinch. She dropped the cell, and it clattered to the hardwood floor of the kitchen. Her eyes and mouth widened in complete surprise and confusion when her ex husband, David Barron, looking boldly intense, raced his wild, relieved eyes over her expression, then kissed her passionately. She had no defence and didn't put up any, instantly snapping her arms around him to kiss him back just as fervently. His almost forgotten, yet wonderfully familiar, hands raced over her back; sides, face and shoulders: checking, as he leant his weight into her, and pushed her up against the Frigidaire, rocking it, its contents and her to the core.

She didn't know where he'd come from, how he got in, nor cared that they'd been divorced for over ten years: she was just overjoyed that he was here to welcome her home safe, and had someone that cared enough for her to have missed her. Being a singleton and having no one to hold through the long nights in the last few months had been a strain and left her feeling very isolated and depressed; which had inevitably fuelled her excessive comfort eating.

David broke his hungry kiss first, and locked eyes with her, panting slightly. Even after ten years she recognised that look, and wagged her finger in his face, her wet lips gradually curving, 'Daaa-vid -,' she warned sassily, 'we're not married anymore…'

David grinned with the heat of a winter's log fire, and tugged her towards the upstairs; obviously that wasn't an issue for him still being single. It wasn't for her either. 'Where's my cats?' she asked, trotting with him, feeling as giddy as a teenager.

Caroline laughed, hearing his deep gritty retort, 'I got bored _and _hungry waiting for ya, so I ate them…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Much Later**

Both panting heavily, and sprawled flat out on the rumpled bed sheets, they blinked at the spinning ceiling, stunned by their unbridled lusty performances. With delirious exhausted smiles, they finally rolled heads to look at one another. 'Woman -,' David began his sincere compliment in Barry White tones, 'you've got the energy of a nuclear reactor, a _divine _body and, my - _God, _you still know how to use it…'

Caroline's smile faded slightly, and looked back to the ceiling, recalling Pelant's cruel derogatory remarks, hurting, and said self-deprecatingly, 'I'm big - fat - ugly…'

Sensing the inner pain that she rarely allowed anyone to see, David rolled onto his side, palming down her feather soft meridian adoringly, saying with deep conviction, 'No - you're not… You, are, _beautiful -_,' then curling his palm around the fleshy mound of a full breast, added sensuously, nuzzling into her ear, '_sump_-tuous -,' he gently squeezed to prove his deep admiration of her ample form, 'you're extravagant in everyway - 'n' _all _woman, Caroline. And I still love _every_…' he paused when her doorbell sounded, and she sighed heavily, wilting at the untimely interruption before dessert was served. Caroline got up, split the blinds with her fingers, and looked down to the porch. 'Who is it?'

'A friend…' She returned to him, and kissed his lips tenderly. 'I have to go out for a while, David - will you still be here later?' He nodded, and propped himself up on his elbows as she walked into the bathroom, adding, 'Let 'em in, Cher - I won't be long…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Later**

**Private Waiting Room**

Flicking through a well thumbed copy of last July's National Geographic, Caroline asked, 'Do you want me to come in with you?' Her friend shook their head, picking their nails nervously. Seeing that nervousness, she said softly, taking their hand, 'It's nothing to be ashamed of, Cherie - you _know _that, we've all…' she trailed off when the consulting room door opened, and a smiling warm face appeared around it.

'Lance? Please, come through…' the doctor encouraged pleasantly. Sweets stood, kissed the back of Caroline's hand, and went into the psychologist's room. He looked back over his shoulder to her, and she winked comfortingly, gesturing with her hand for him to go. As the door re-closed leaving her alone, she breathed out, crossed her legs; getting comfortable. Now she picked up last Augusts edition of the NG magazine, and began to read an article that caught her eye. It was about the US's 3.76 billion dollar budget for the National Nano Initiative to advanced chip technology and prosthetics. She snorted at the irony, muttering, 'The yella fellas are _waaay _ahead of ya, guys…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Court Three**

**Courts Of Justice**

**Judge Jonas Presiding **

Trope was pleased that this Judge, who had dropped the charges against Dr Brennan, was presiding over Tasmin's case too. And it was a well keep, open secret, that Trope had let it be known in the court circles that this and her cases were linked; knowing Jonas would get wind of that. He knew, although Jonas had shown complete impartiality in Dr Brennan's case and had a fierce reputation, he also had a softer underbelly when it came to matters involving children; having lost his only son to leukaemia at age seven. That, he thought, was going to work in Tasmin's favour. Trope was hoping now, that with his usual pragmatic style and brevity, the case against Tasmin would be thrown out in a matter of minutes and they could all move on. Trope was not to know how far out his timescale was.

Jonas settled at the bench, and pushed the unopened file to his right, and began with the line, 'Let the record show, that Miss Tasmin Sprott, twenty years of age, of an undisclosed halfway house in Arlington, is hereby, _cleared _of the charge of Infanticide…' Tasmin barely registered a smile, Trope noted, but he couldn't help but feel the relief for her. He watched her stare unblinking at the Jonas with her hands folded anxiously on her lap, looking overawed by his stern posture and tone. He noted too that Jonas had looked everywhere but into her eyes yet.

'The death of her seven week old child has been found, _unequivocally_, to have been a tragedy. Her child was a victim of Infant Cot Death Syndrome…' The prosecution looked sheepish, and glanced to Tasmin, who didn't move a muscle.

Finally Jonas looked to her, with, 'Miss Sprott?' Trope looked to her again as Jonas addressed her directly. Tasmin blinked to focus her eyes, just as a single tear slipped onto her cheek. She didn't remove it. Jonas' tone lowered and softened dramatically as he offered, 'Miss Sprott, may I just bestow my _sincere _condolences for the loss of your child and furthermore - offer you an apology…' Trope's eyes widened slightly in surprise at that, and listened intently.

'It's my understanding that you spent in excess of five months _innocently _incarcerated and were a victim yourself of a _brutal _physical attack which almost took your life in defence of another…' Tasmin nodded once a miniscule amount to acknowledge that truth. Jonas went on, clearly moved by her story and challenging background, 'I cannot imagine your suffering at losing your child in these dreadful circumstances, and _then _having that suffering compounded by the contemptible investigatory skills of Detective Peter Grant in charge of your case.' Jonas' direct assertion shocked most in the court, but didn't surprise Trope because he knew what exactly had incited him to it.

Jonas looked to the prosecution team, asking rhetorically, and with some sarcasm, 'I don't expect he's here, is he? No - just as well, I suppose…' Trope slid his eyes to the sweaty prosecution, with a wry smile burning to venture to his lips.

'Reading his, these, frankly _amateurish_, shameful case notes -,' Jonas opened the file with Detective Grant's notes inside, scathing, 'the patchy, supposed, yet to most _unconvincing, _confession by you, Miss Sprott, under _extreme _distress and grief: and please forgive me if I may be so insensitive; learning of your lower than average IQ - It's obvious what happened here, and that disturbs me greatly and so it should all law enforcement and be a warning…' Trope swallowed hard, and took a slow inhale. 'The buck stops with me, hence my unreserved apology to you for having to be put through this _debacle_.' Trope would've whooped and applauded if he could but Jonas went on, obviously with a bee in his metaphorical bonnet, 'If the relevant authorities, social and medical professionals, coroner excreta had investigated your case and questioned your confession without _prejudice_, common _sense _and with an _open _mind, you _never _would've been sent to prison and consequently wouldn't have been attacked so savagely… I shall be making a strong appeal to have Detective Grant's position reassessed by his superiors and all other cases he's investigated re-evaluated.'

Jonas then played his trump with his soft under belly hardening, 'Mr Trope, as Miss Sprott's council I'd remind you to apply for damages in relation to Miss Sprott's _acute _injuries; medical bills, loss of earnings, _home_, compensation for her emotional _and _physical stress, and time _locked _up unnecessarily - and while you're at it, sue the relevant authorities for their incompetence. I'm _certain _your applications will be settled without delay. If they are not - _I _will hear about IT…!' Everybody flinch as he finished with a snapped angry crescendo.

Standing, Trope knew that wasn't just a prompt it was a command, so assured with, 'Yes, Your Honour.' He sat again.

Calming Jonas gave him a solemn nod, closed the file ending with a soft sweet smile for Tasmin, and, 'Miss Sprott, I hope now you can move on with the rest of your life and find, in part, some peace.'

The court watched as Tasmin stood up slowly, holding her tender stomach, saying with determination and a twinkle of pride in her eyes, 'I'm going to readin' and writin' classes - gonna get smart.'

With an enchanted rare smile and a tear forming in his eye, Jonas said encouragingly, 'Ex-_cellent_, _excellent _- Good luck in all you do, Miss Sprott.' There was a snap of silence as they shared a lingering smile, then Jonas left the court with a barked, 'Dismissed!'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! **

**CDC HQ**

**Druid Hill**

**Georgia**

The FEMA commander arrived at the barrier in a Chevy, incognito, and flashed his pass through the reader. The barrier rose and he drove in, easily finding a space in the staff parking lot. Dressed in an ordinary suit and tie, he reached for the briefcase in the foot well, and got out. Walking through the Spartan, clinical reception to the desk, he smiled at the receptionist. 'Hi, beautiful day. The trees are turning.' She nodded to agree with his Fall observation. 'Jackman for Mrs Hislop - she's expecting me,' he said casually, and handed her his pass. She slipped into a reader, and it bleeped. Smiling pleasantly, handing it back, she gestured to the elevators.

'Level six. I'll let her know you're on the way, Mr Jackman.'

'Thanks.' He headed for the elevator, and descended, staring at the numbers as they clicked down, thoughtless. The doors opened, another desk was directly ahead but with no receptionist this time: just what looked like a webcam and chin rest directly below the lens on a small pylon, and pressure pad next to it. He put his chin on the rest, and placed his right thumb in the pressure pad. Both his thumb print and retina were scanned, a few seconds later a door to his right opened with a buzz and a clunk. Walking through it, it automatically closed sharply behind him. In the empty corridor, except for a camera following his progress, he headed towards the door at the far end. There was a PIN lock to open it. He tapped in the code, watching as the four red light turned green, and the door opened. He smiled hard when he saw Mrs Hislop waiting on the other side wearing a white lab coat and hands in the pockets. Jackman greeted, 'Hello, Mrs Hislop, long time, no see.'

'Ha. _Good_. How's the family?' she enquired breezily, clipping efficiently down the corridor in sensible court shoes, and turned to the left at the end, then continued as it sloped downwards.

'Good, good. Your's?'

'All fine, thank you. Getting belligerent.' Jackman grinned. Tapping in another, different code, and swiping her pass, Mrs Hislop pulled the next door open, and let him enter first into the dark space. The sound of low humming white noise made them feel as if they were under water, and a little unsteady. Unsighted, but knowing exactly where it was, she switched on the lights. The florescent strip-lights blinked, disorientating for a moment, then lit up from them, running away into the far distance. The light they gave off revealed uniform high shelves that ran away too, and stretched out either side of them. There was a computer terminal on a desk to their left, Hislop sat on the chair behind it, saying, 'Ok. Deposit Ref: 12932B. Date. Lethal contaminates -,' she tapped the keyboard with a flurry of fingers, 'V-X.' She solidly hit return and a printer under the desk started to chunter. At the same time Jackman had put his briefcase on the desk, rolled in the unlock code, then flicked open the catches. He removed a nondescript black lead box without mode to open it, and put on the desk in front of her. Casually Hislop stuck the label on the top of the box she'd just printed off. Picking it up, they both walked down between the storage shelves similar to a library to find the relevant shelf and position in the vault. As they walked side by side, she asked cheerily, 'Did you get away for a vacation this year?'

'No, no yet. I've got another couple weeks to go then we're off to Maine for a few days to see Maggie's parents.' Hislop nodded with a sweet smile, scanning the shelves. 'Then hopefully we'll catch the best of the Fall colours driving back through Vermont.'

Mrs Hislop crooned, sounding decidedly envious, 'Oh. That sounds _wonderful_. Arh. Here we are...' She came to a stop, and pointed to a gap. Jackman placed the heavy box on the shelf, alongside many others of various shapes and sizes, adjusting it so the label could be read clearly.

The full label read: **Deposit Ref : 12932B - Date: 9/9/2012 - LETHAL CONTAMINATE - VX. **Then in tiny print at the bottom left hand side of the label in brackets, almost as an afterthought, was printed: **(Including ashes - Pelant. C.) **

Without emotion, deference or ceremony they walked away, chatting casually about vacations and the gourmet delights of fresh Maine lobsters and clams.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Later That Evening**

**Dr Cam Saroyan's Residence**

Michele handed Cam a chilled glass of chilled chardonnay, and sat next to her on the couch, close. Cam took a sip, closing her eyes as she did, and swallowed slowly; savouring the crisp dry wine. 'Are you ok?' Cam opened her eyes and nodded, placing the glass on the coffee table, heeled off her shoes, then tucked her feet up under herself. 'Really, I mean, _really_?' Michele pushed gently, clearly still concerned for her surrogate Mom. Cam smiled warmly, put her arm around her shoulders, and drew her nearer.

'I'm fiiine,' she reassured again. 'It's over. I'm home safe. That's all that matters, right?' Michele kissed her cheek sweetly, resting her head on her shoulder. Then Cam crooned with deep pleasure: calmed by the comforts of her peaceful familiar surroundings, 'It's sooo _good _to be home - with nothing to do for a couple of days except sleep, eat and be with _you_.' Michele, grinning hard, looked up into her eyes, they shared a relieved loving smile until the door bell sounded. Then they both groaned at being disturbed from their cosy cuddle.

'I'll go.' Michele was up in a flash, and trotted over to the door, checking who it was via the peephole. Grimacing, and stepping back, Michele asked at a whisper, 'Its that FBI guy - do you wanna see him?' Cam snapped her mouth closed with a slow huff, and sagged, thinking it was Hacker come to pick her brains or update her. 'If you hide behind the couch, I can…' she paused when the bell sounded again, and her eyes widened further. Relenting, Cam feebly gestured with her hand to let him in. Permission given, Michele put back on her welcoming smile, and opened the door.

Cam nearly spat her wine out when Flynn walked over the threshold with an anxious smile for Michele, and a darting look to Cam. She shot to her bare feet, and wiped her lips dry with the back of her hand. Michele closed the door quietly, seeing them sharing a long stare in complete and painful silence. Feeling like the third unwanted wheel suddenly, and with discretion, Michele informed, 'I've, aaarh, got an essay to catch up on - see you later.' She trotted up the stairs, glaring at Cam, with a wry smile on her lips. Cam didn't acknowledge her or it.

Flynn shoved a hand into his pocket, not feeling so confident any more, and apologised, 'Sorry - I shouldn't have come over so late. It's been a crazy twenty four hours. I'll go…' Feeling just as awkward, Cam shook her head but he'd already turned, missing it, and had his hand on the door handle to leave.

'_Wait_… wait, Flynn.' He paused with his hand on the handle but didn't turn. She took a breath, and asked boldly, 'What did you want?' Their relationship, if it could be called that, was based purely on sex and she knew that wasn't a good start. She doubted his motives, hers and the prudence of continuing with it.

He turned slowly, and shrugged his shoulders, saying candidly, 'I don't honestly know for sure. I thought maybe…' Cam tilted her head, crinkling her brow, and narrowing her eyes. He read her body language and expression, and realised he'd been mistaken; their physical intermissions had obviously been a valve to release pressure and nothing more than that. 'No, _stupid_, my mistake,' he castigated himself under his breath, then decided it was better to retreat than make a complete ass of himself, 'It was a - plea-sure -,' saying that word as if he knew it was totally lame and inappropriate, 'to work with you…' Cam hid her smile by looking down to her agitated toes, and folded her arms across her midriff. But he caught her smirk, and saw hope in it. He stepped cautiously nearer. 'I'll look forward to _working _with you again, Cam…' Cam looked up into his eyes, hearing his subtext loud and clear, and was un-flattered by it, 'you know - sometime in the _near _future?' But again he'd obviously misread the signs because she rapidly lost her smile, and walked past him to the kitchen, and opened the fridge door. He lost his smile too, and scratched his head absently as if it was starting sprout question marks.

'If you've come over here just to get laid for one last time - you're outta luck,' she said curtly, pouring another glass of wine. At the top of the stairs, lurking and eavesdropping, Michele silently gasped hearing that, then strained to hear more juicy details. Flynn's jaw dropped, horrified she'd taken his visit as such. She went on protectively, 'We had some fun, it worked - you helped me I helped you - but it's over. I'd rather forget it, if you don't mind.'

'Oooh. Heeey, look…' he pined, mentally kicking himself, feeling filleted. Then responded to her accusations, 'I _didn't _come over to…' he thought he best not say _fuck you_, cos that didn't sound good in his head, so went on, 'And yeah, it worked, but it was a little more than just _fun_, for me at least.' Michele cocked a brow. Cam sipped some wine, holding it on her tongue, as she listened. 'And you're right, we did help each other out.' He stepped towards her on the other side of the counter top, adding sincerely, 'But, Cam -,' she looked up again, 'I _can't _forget it - I don't want to…' Cam stared into his eyes, then dropped them away, fighting with herself and emotions. He was handsome; intelligent, fun, at times but he was also self-obsessed, arrogant, too ambitious and cock-sure of himself. As she rattled off his many cons, it didn't pass her by that she was standing on one of the many spots where she'd ridden his eager cock with selfish abandon, arrogance, and with her own greedy ambition. Staring into the glass of wine, circling its rim with her index finger, and while assessing her own faults he'd left. It was only when the door clicked shut that she came out of her melancholy reflection. She spun, looking through the kitchen window as he paced down her drive, and got in his car.

Cam shot out of her front door, and ran barefoot down the drive, shouting, 'Wait up! _Flynn_! Ow-OW-ooww. Ssshit!' She'd ran over a stone, and nearly sprawled over her lawn, then muttered, 'Bugger-bugger…' Her near ungraceful tumble inevitably caught his eye, and he glanced over as she hobbled cutely up to his window, and tapped it. He tried to keep his amused smile off his face as he slowly let the window down. She leant on the window slit, and said through it, clearly in some pain, 'I'm sorry - I don't know what this is either or what I want.' He nodded, seeing her taking the weight off her foot. 'But, I think I'd like to see you again - _socially_. Dinner maybe - or a movie?' Flynn looked out of the windshield, feeling like a glee-bomb had gone off in his chest for her sweet request for a date.

'You wanna date - do the whole romance thing, kiss 'n' that - aren't we a bit past that already?' he balked, sneering at the sappy starting from first base thing. Cam twitched at his rejection, not getting his mind games; being so out of practise.

'Eeermm. Just a thought, never mind,' she regrouped, then started to turn but he grabbed her hand then the other. She squealed loudly as he tugged her through the window till her legs were flailing outside. 'W'aahhaha!' giggling and squirming, Cam couldn't do anything else but surrender to his romantic manoeuvre. He hauled her the rest of the way through the window. She rolled over as he prowled for her lips with her feet still sticking out the window. Both chuckling madly, she smacked his shoulder to chastise him for his silly idea and spontaneity, although she adored it. His hot eyes shamelessly undressed her: making her smoulder, while his hand caressed a thigh. 'You're sooo bad,' she purred with a diamond glint in her eye, then they kissed rampantly.

Michele had heard her scream, and watched from an upper window with a chuckle of her own as he'd dragged her through the window to kiss her. She noted a few drapes twitching across the street too, and Cam's toes curling out of the window as they necked on the front seats.

Ten minutes later he carried Cam back to her open door looking heavenly ravaged with a silly smudged smile on her lips she couldn't shift with dynamite. He placed her gently onto her feet, pecked her lips quickly, saying over his shoulder as he trotted back to the car, 'I'll call ya!'

'You better!' she shouted after him, slamming the door. Michele stood at the top of the stairs with her mouth hanging, arms folded over her stomach and Cam wandering where she's learnt that from. Cam looked up to her, flattening her hair, and tugging down her skirt, attempting to looked composed: it didn't work. 'What?' Cam challenged Michele innocently, returning to the couch and her drink. Michele rumbled down the stairs, and leapt onto the couch beside her, almost making her spill her wine. Cam played it cool or tried to, knowing Michele knew nothing of their relationship before this and wanted details. But that wasn't what was her mind at all.

With a stern patronising voice she didn't mean, Michele commanded, with a playful smack to Cam's thigh, 'You, are, _sooo _grounded, young lady…' Cam did, this time, spit her wine, and started belly laughing with her beloved daughter.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Booth & Bones' Residence**

Booth held his hands over Bones' eyes from behind, with an excited smile on his face, steering her towards the nursery door. 'No peeking now,' he warned cutely.

'Haa. Booth, it'll be just the same, I imagine. They architect said he would…' she trailed off as Booth took his hands away, and she opened her eyes. They widened, and her smile got a whole lot bigger. She spun, and kissed his madly smiling lips. She smothered him her excited sugar and mumbled her approval. The nursery was as it had been but was filled with balloons and happy welcome home banners and bunting. An equally bubbly Parker jiggled about in the centre of the room, trying not to watch as Bones practically devoured Booth, but sniggering at them.

Booth dragged his mouth off hers but still kept her close via an arm around her waist. 'Look-look,' he gushed, stepping over to a new door, 'I had him put in a connecting door to our room.'

'_Excellent _thinking, Booth,' she praised liberally, patting over his thoughtful heart.

Booth bumbled, giddy with her kisses, 'Yeah, well, I thought it's the quickest route - you might want, whatever, you know…' Bones interrupted him with another clutch of kisses that made him go weak-kneed now. Then she turned her attention to Parker just as fast and affectionately.

'Did you help to do all this?' she gestured to all the pink balloons and ribbons. Parker nodded fast, then pointed.

'Look, Bones, the last one got blown up so I made another one.' He proudly pointed to a new mobile, and turned it on.

Bones gasped seeing the photo's, surprised he'd managed to get more. Parker knew instinctively what she was going to ask, so explained before she did, 'Ange was amazing, Bones! You know she asked for your smashed up laptop?' Bones nodded. 'Well, she managed to save the video but all the photos as _well_. I just printed them off.' Bones hugged him hard, and kissed the top of his wild hair.

'It's all wonderful. How's your room?' she asked, flaring her eyes and beaming. Blushing, Parker squeezed her tight in hard thanks.

Parker gushed, knowing she was referring to his new laptop and games console and chair he could barely wait to try out. 'Radical, Bones, flippin' _raaad_,' clearly overjoyed with his new updated room. She laughed, cuddling him tight again. They looked around as Booth came in with Christine in his arms, muttering to her to look at her new room. 'Look, Chrissy, your mobile,' Parker said, waving Booth closer. He came over with her and her eyes lit up, and tiny hands reached for it. Bouncing her up and down, Booth snuffled into her cheek while Bones palmed down his back, adoring seeing him so happy. Just as she was about to kiss Booth's cheek one of the many balloons popped. Booth and Bones gasped an, 'Oh!' and Parker jumped, shocked as well. But Christine's bottom lip started to quiver, then she began to cry which was followed by a chorus from all of, 'Awww, it's alright, Christine,' as they all comforted her. She nuzzled into Booth's chest but still crying, and started to get up a head of steam.

Parker grimaced. 'Wow, I've never heard her cry - she's pretty loud! Is that like, normal?!' Parker remarked loudly over her blubbering, putting his fingers in his ears.

'Haa. Yes. But I think we should distract her - Parker, sing something…' Parker looked at Bones as if she was asking him to climb Everest, blindfolded, and on stilts.

'I'll sing,' Booth stepped up bravely, with a happy-go-lucky smile, opening his mouth and taking a lungful.

But Bones and Parker barked together, thinking his _dulcet _tones would harm her delicate ears, '_No_!' Booth snapped his mouth shut, and looked deeply offended. Bones took her from his arms, before pecking his cheek to placate, and gave her a bobbing cuddle. Christine slowly settled, wrapping her arms around Bones' neck. Booth stared at them together, practically melting into a puddle on the floor as Bones began to sing softly in her ear along with the tune Parker's mobile played. Parker glanced to his Dad, with his chest exploding with pride and delight that Christine was listening to the sweet melody. Booth put his knuckles up to him, and Parker tapped them, then hugged his Dad, as they too joined it to calm Christine. In a family huddle now, Christine looked down at Parker, and smiled, the light filling her sparkling eyes again.

'Paar-paa,' she cooed, reaching for him. Bones immediately put her into his arms. They watched, as Parker kissed her cheek, and grinned so hard his eyes almost closed.

'Hey, Chrissy. You're much lighter than Michael - which is cool. Did ya get scared by that _silly _balloon - no need to cry, I'll protect ya - we all will. Look -,' he walked over to the mobile again, and made it turn faster, 'there's _you_, me, Mom and Dad, see?'

Booth slipped his arm around Bones again, as proud as punch and emotional, seeing all his family home together. But Bones knew Booth needed to have a man-to-man with Parker, so whispered in his ear, 'I'll leave you two alone for a while.' Booth pecked her lips softly, and watched her leave, closing the door quietly behind her.

'Hey, Park, come over here, sit-down,' Booth encouraged, taking a seat too on the couch.

Parker grinned, suspecting what was coming. He put Christine on the carpet with a few toys, then sat with him. 'I know what you're gonna say, Dad - and its ok, I won't tell Mom. She'll flip out if she knows everything, won't she?' Booth took a deep breath held it, then let it go through his nostrils.

'Yeah, it'll be the end, I think. I don't wanna lie or make _you _lie but sometimes to save people from worry a white lie can be justified.' Parker nodded solemnly.

'She already knows about the bunker and the explosion - but if I tell her I went to the park she'll blame you, and that's not fair when it was all my idea. Mom doesn't need to know that bit - not really.' Booth thought he was saying that to convince himself and cement his own thoughts.

Booth rubbed his palms nervously, and huffed out. 'That's up to you, Son. I'll back you all the way, whatever you decide to tell her.' Parker nodded, looking back to Christine staring bright-eyed at all the swaying colourful balloons.

'Ok, cool… Luv ya, Dad.' Parker nestled into Booth chest, never to old for a hug. They watched Christine patting balloons, and gurgling merrily now, their smiles returning.

'So what about that skater babe with the _hots _for you then - what's her name?' Booth asked with a wry smile, feeling the heat through his t-shirt from Parker's cheek given off by his riotous blush.

'Gabby, her name's Gabby, Dad, and she hasn't got the _hots _for me - that's soo lame. She's a major player down the bowl. She's got rad wheels, awesome moves and no fear that's…' Parker paused when Booth started sniggering, knowing his Dad was winding him up.

'You _fancy _her,' Booth teased, ruffling up his hair. Parker started laughing, shooting him a weird look, and sitting back up.

'Haa. _Fancy_? Jeeze, how _old _are you, Dad - a hundred? Nobody says _fancy _anymore…' Booth felt like the balloon in his chest had popped now.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Dawn The Next Day**

**Booth & Bones' Residence**

The cinnamon dawn slowly warmed and brightened their bedroom, and lit up the nursery next door too where Christine who was sound asleep. Bones loved that she could see her from her prone position, with one hand caressing Booth's soft hair between her open thighs and the other gripping the bedstead with all her might. She mused, this was the best morning ever experienced. Booth wasn't just good at oral pleasure he was phenomenal, she pondered, almost mindless. She thought it must be because he enjoyed giving it so much.

Dragging her eyes from Christine's face she looked to the marshmallow mound of sheets covering his body and head, and tried not to laugh. She lifted them to look at him, his wild eyes shot open and up to hers, then he smiled with a raunchy flash of his eyes. 'Is she awake?' he muttered secretively. Bones shook her head, then gently pushed him back to it pronto before she went off the delicious boil. 'I can't get enough of your ambrosia…'

Bones grinned hearing that, and retorted sarcastically, 'Thankfully not a biblical reference this time.'

Booth nipped at her clit in playful punishment, but it didn't hurt - she loved it. Spreading her thighs wider with an insistent push with his knuckles, and popping a thumb inside her to give her something to work, he did it again. She stifled the guttural moan that threatened to leave her throat, and closed her eyes to concentrate; internally visualizing every divine sloppy lick, kiss, curl, tender suck and cheeky flick of his astonishing tongue. She found it fascinating and utterly sensual that the closer she got to climaxing, even if she was as quiet and still as she could manage, he became more vocal with his mumbles and sighs. The way he was so in tune with her body and mind never ceased to amaze her. His tenderness was unsurpassed and yet she'd watched him near enough beat a man to death with such viciousness it was hard to believe this was the same man. But that was one of his many allures; being capable of such violence and wrath and yet equally capable of such tenderness and empathy.

With her emotions inevitably running high, glancing one last time to Christine before she let go, an excess of jubilant thoughts bludgeoned her; Christine was back, Pelant was no more, everyone was safe, they'd finally prevailed. That was the mental ecstasy: now was time for the physical equivalent.

Like rainbow petrol swirls on puddles of water: her thoughts and emotions jumbled up amid her increasing rapture. On the brink, Bones pushed his head down harder into her soft flesh, grit her jaw, and willing drowned herself in the physical ecstasy too.

When she opened her eyes again Booth was draped over her, but cocooning her in his hot embrace and she was staring fuzzily at Christine. 'You were so _quiet_,' he observed softly, with some surprise, staring at their daughter too from the pillow of her chest. Bones grinned, knowing he was referring to her unusual mute climax.

'I didn't want to wake her,' she whispered, caressing his nape as they both watched Christine sleep with blithe smiles. 'Don't assume I didn't enjoy that just because of my lack of vocalisation - you blew my gaskets.' Booth sniggered, squeezing her tightly, loving that she was picking up on his mechanical euphemisms.

'She's so dazzling beautiful - I can barely breathe sometimes when I look at her.'

Bones felt him nod as he caressed her breast, then heard him sigh despondently, and whisper, 'Houston, I think we might have a problem…' Bones looked down into his eyes with a question in them as he looked up. Booth confessed softly, 'I got hard but not _really _hard, you know…?' He quirked his lips, plainly concerned that the VX may have done some permanent damage. Bones caressed his jaw sympathetically, knowing he usually got right off when he made love to her like that.

Bones began, 'Not that the loss of a full erection concerns me, but I can see it does you.' Booth nodded. 'You must know, Booth, our relationship is not based on whether you can perform sexually -,' Bones saw him sag, and nuzzle, clearly still worried, 'but again, I can sense, whether you can satisfy me that way, does worry you.' Kissing his head, then pulling him up to be face to face with her, both on their sides and limbs entwined. 'The good news is you did, and have, a partial erection now, that implies that things may improve in the future. But if they don't, I don't want you to think I'll feel any differently about our relationship.' She could see him silently mutter in his head via his worried eyes: _you say that now. _

She held him tighter. 'I love _you _and not just for your penis, however…' she trailed off when he rolled onto his back, and brushed his hair through his fingers, still not placated.

'I know, there are those pills - I get it,' he sulked adorably. Bones grinned slyly, rolled over his body, then straddled his thighs. She reached behind them, and drew the sheet up over her head, with a waggle of her brows. Booth couldn't help but grin at her despite his crushed ego. She fell slowly over him, covering them completely with the sheet.

'How hard do you want to get?' she asked vamp-ishly, biting wet kisses across his lips. She could see his brow furrow deeply with his confusion.

'Bones, hard is hard,' he said truculently, 'hard enough to… you know?'

'Fuck me?' she asked against his lips, and felt him throb at her core for her coarse vocab. She'd always found he enjoyed it when she got earthy, so pandered to that.

'Yeah -,' kissing down his throat, she simultaneously pinched his nipples making his breath hitch, 'ow, shit, that hurt.'

She cocked an unrepentant brow. 'Hurts good though, eh?' Booth nodded, watching her descend, thickening all the time. She handed the sheet to him to create a tent over them. 'You haven't answered my question - how hard?'

Booth lost his horny smile a little, sounding worried now, 'Oh. Crap, what are you gonna do?'

'Haa. I'm going to experiment. I believe stimulation is key…' Bones took his semi erection in hand, then flicked hard with her middle finger at his fraenulum just under his notch without warning. He jolted, and sucked in a breath through his gritted molars. It stung but a surge of blood shot to the cluster of nerve ends: waking them up. Booth squeezed his buttocks tight to the delicious surge of sensation, and saw his cock stand straight, rumbling deep in his throat. But that hard wasn't good enough for Bones. Her sultry grin widened as she did it again, sending another violent shockwave up his spine and blood race to pack his cock out and up.

'Arh!' Another heated gush pumped into his cock as his hips came off the sheets, almost bucking her off him.

'Whoa, cowboy, haa.' Bones bucked with him, highly amused, then chastised in the same breath, 'and _shush _- you'll wake her.' He would have sworn at her for that reprimand because as it was her that started this.

Booth looked down to his precious angry cock that was firm enough to punch a hole in lead, then into her silky arrogant eyes and smile. 'What did ya do?' he asked incredulously, realising he was never going to need pills with her around.

She ignored his question with a sexually smug, 'Hard enough yet?' Not waiting for his answer she flicked again, this time he gasped, and gripped her hips. That one, she realised, was the charm and had the desired effect: Booth looked practically traumatised by how hard he wanted to fuck her. He was not just raring to go but now he was bursting.

'Fffuck meee-get on-get on,' he commanded in a licentious sneer that shot straight to her core making it quake.

'Nnno,' she refused pointedly, narrowing her steaming, _come get me, Big Boy, _eyes.

The aloof look she gave him was his green light, and knew exactly what she'd done and why. He wrapped his arms around her waist just as she was getting off him, and they tumbled off the bed to the floor. Bones could help but giggle as she pretended to untangle herself from the sheet and his manic clutches, feeling her pussy throb expectantly. But Booth spun behind her on his knees on an alpha male mission to service his one and only female. He gripped her hips, steering his purple cock as tight as snare drum. Booth muttered his warning, 'Fuck-it - brace, Bones, brace.' On her knees, assuming the position, she looked over the rim of the bed to Christine, making sure she hadn't woken just as Booth aimed perfectly, butting his veined cock into her labia, then thrust deep into her. She bit the edge of the mattress, and gripped the under sheet in both fists, grinning triumphantly through her muffled groan of deep pleasure which he added too with his.

With 1800lbs of rock hard American male banging into her she thrilled that it was her virile American male pounding her. Carpet burned knees be damned, she thought, and went a little wild too.

Like tracer bullets his fiery eyes raced over her snaking spine and buttocks along with his hands. 'Lemme-see-those-dimples, Bones,' he insisted at a rush, reaching around to her clit, and strummed fast, thrusting wildly. She flinched to the extra stimulation, mumbled her long whine, arching her back, gripping tighter as another deep climax loomed large. Booth saw the cute dimples just above her buttocks appear as she met his thrusts with as much passion. 'Yeah, yeah, oh, sweet, Lord, you're fucking amazing - never been harder.' She would have given back that compliment thrice over if she could trust herself not to yell it aloud and wake Christine, Parker and the neighbours.

Just as they were both about to get off in a sweaty, breathless euphoric crusade, Christine rolled onto her stomach, pulled herself up in the cot, and looked in their direction. Stunned, Bones un-bit the mattress, and gasped, then toppled behind the bed, dragging Booth with her out of sight. But it was too late for Booth to prevent the inevitable; his blissful-fuelled pearly shots fired into the air like fountain jets, then dropped to splatter her hip and buttocks. 'Oh, arh, Jesus, sss-sorry.' They started to cackle like caught teenagers, hiding from a six month old. Both panting, Bones kissed him to sedate through his afterglow.

'W-what are we hiding for - she can't speak yet?' Booth whispered breathless, considerately cleaning Bones up with the sheet.

'I don't know - it just seemed a little impious to be having intercourse with her watching on,' she whispered back, still in stealth mode. Booth rolled his dreamy mellow eyes.

'Ma-ma!' Christine chirped, obviously knowing they were hiding. Bones smiled at Booth, and melted, hearing her call her name. Booth matched the power of her smile, and kissed her lips with the utmost affection and gentleness; the beast within back behind bars.

Bones untangled herself then, popped up over the mattress, saying brightly, 'Beek-a-boo!' Christine squealed with excitement, started to clap, and fell onto her bottom. Both parents began bobbing up and down alternatively to shout beek-a-boo at her, sending Christine into giggle raptures. 'Oh. Booth, I think my heart might explode,' Bones remarked goofily, with her palm over it.

'That would be your metaphorical one, I guess.' Bones smacked his butt for being so cheeky, and finally got up. As she was about to walk to Christine but Booth grabbed her ass, and bit it with a growl, sending her into another fit of giggles…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Two Hours Later**

**Private Medical Facility**

**Consultants Waiting Room**

Doctor Braithwaite began, taking a seat behind his desk, and opening out Jack's results file, 'Right then, sorry to keep you waiting, Jack, I just had to consult with another colleague.' Ange held Jack's hand as they sat anxiously awaiting for the results of his MRI and other rigorous tests he'd been put through. They held their breaths. Seeing their acute tension, he started with the good news, 'Don't look so worried, apart from a few broken fingers and ligament damage, that will heal in time, and the tingling sensations you're experiencing in your extremities, all looks good.' Ange squeezed Jack's hand, and pecked his cheek but he still didn't seem placated yet.

'Will the numbness recede - will I get full sensation back in my finger tips?' Jack asked, knowing how important that was in his, sometimes delicate, work.

'Yes, again, in time. You'll need to have patience, Jack,' Braithwaite urged, with a understanding smile. 'But - I caution you, one cannot _guarantee _a full recovery.' Jack swallowed hard, but hoped for the best. 'All your vital organs took a hit but the scans, blood and urine tests show no residual damage other than what we would've expected in these circumstances. You're fitness, age, quick medical attention, and general excellent health are all factors which have contributed to a quick recovery and your prognosis is _very _good,' he added charmingly.

'What about my eyesight?'

Braithwaite lost a little of his smile, so did Ange, and re-crossed her legs. Braithwaite closed the file, and folded his hands over it as he explained, 'That's what I was consulting with my colleague about. As you're no doubt aware the retina is a very light sensitive membrane and has some of the finest blood vessels in the body supplying it - so the most susceptible to a lack of oxygen and blood flow which of course they sustained during the nerve agent attack. And the optic nerve and cortex were damaged. The loss of your periphery vision, I'm afraid, is not temporary - your retina's will not repair themselves.' Jack hung his head, and took a breath he needed, although he already suspected as much.

'Okay, what does that mean?' Ange asked, looking puzzled.

'It means, in layman's terms, permanent black spots in your peripheral vision - _however _the retina is most sensitive in the central area. You can see but the edges will be blurred - a kind of tunnel vision. You'll have to make small adjustments by moving your head a lot more - do you understand?' Jack nodded, then looked up again into his hazel eyes. 'You'll have to be re-certified to drive but for most of what you do; looking through microscopes excreta you shouldn't have a problem. It'll take you and your brain a little time to adjust to the new reality and ways of coping with it.' Jack nodded, already experiencing those adjustments.

With apprehension still lacing her tone, Ange asked, 'So he _can _still drive?'

'Yes, it's a strange situation really.' Braithwaite went to his coffee pot, and poured them each a brew. 'You'll be certified as partially sighted but still able to drive safely. The ophthalmologist wants a few more test done but your visual acuity is still within the driving limits.' He handed them a cup each, adding with a knowledgeable smile, 'The worst case - you'll have to wear spectacles, or if you prefer, contacts.' Braithwaite retook to his chair, concluding with an upbeat tone, 'All in all, considering what _could _have happened - you've been extremely fortunate, Jack.'

Deeply relieved, along with Jack, Ange whispered sweetly to him, 'Gotta be contacts, Sweetie - I don't want anything to hide those beautiful baby blues…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Simultaneously**

**FBI Hoover Building**

**Hacker's Office**

Luggia tapped the frame of Hacker's door with his gold signet ring, informing solemnly, 'We've been _summoned_.'

'That didn't take 'em long,' Hacker replied grittily, getting up, gathering the files. 'Where?'

Luggia came in a few feet, tucking his hands in his pant's pockets. 'I've got an address,' he said evasively. Hacker froze, then narrowed his eyes at Luggia, who shrugged his shoulders, plainly unsurprised by the covert nature of the rendezvous.

They left his office together and made the journey across town to the address Luggia had been handed.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! **

Walking the long corridor not talking: deep in thought and apprehension, they passed windowless steel doors with name plaques they didn't recognise. At the end of the corridor was a elevator with a armed guard standing in front of it at a desk. They were meticulously frisked, had their weapons, keys and cells removed, and signed them in for retrieval later.

'Friendly bunch,' Hacker remarked sarcastically of the mute emotionless guard. Luggia huffed mildly amused. Once stripped of anything that could possibly to used as a weapon and checked for bugs: they were ushered into the elevator. Hacker noted, as they descended that Luggia seemed to have gained a little moisture on his brow. 'Why are _you _nervous - its me they're gonna haul over the coals?' Luggia twitched in his shiny shoes, and dabbed his brow with a hanky.

The elevator doors opened into a large under-lit conference room. There was an oval table around which sat some faces he recognised, other's he didn't. They all stopped talking, and looked to them. At the head of the table was a silver haired man in his fifties, uniformed and covered in more brass and pips anyone could shake a stick at. Behind him was an enormous screen on which were imposed the letters for the acronym: _APRI - COT._ Under that was written: _Approved Presidential Response Initiative - Covert Operations Team._

'Please, gentlemen, take a seat.' Hacker and Luggia went to the only two free chairs around the desk, and sat side by side. 'Thank you for being so prompt.' Pleasantries over the General went for the jugular, 'So - this is a sorry state of affairs. You called us in to assist you and look what happened - a cock-up of _monumental _proportions!'

Already taut with tension, Hacker riled immediately, 'Ex-cuse me! _Yes_, we called you in, in all good faith but _you _had another agenda and undermined the FBI at _every _opportunity. Pelant outsmarted you all, not just us!'

A scarily familiar voice said from the shadows, 'That's - _not _completely true, is it?' The President appeared out of those shadows and they all stood, gulping. 'Is it?' he insisted, pouring Hacker a glass of water, placing his hand on his shoulder, and put gentle pressure on him to sit. Hacker and the rest retook their seats. Luggia dabbed his brow again.

'No, Sir,' Hacker finally replied.

'No, indeed. This unit is rarely called upon but as you know now, Pelant had been on our radar for a while. We were not going to intervene in your investigations until…'

Hacker finished his sentence, 'Until his actions became too public.'

Not phased by his interruption, the President confirmed coolly, 'Exactly. I was strongly advised that we should engage to apprehend Pelant. With world politics in upheaval, the European Union in financial meltdown, the Arab Spring, the bloodbath in Syria, the Chinese - a _Communist _country snapping at our technological heels, and virtually every government on the planet trying to get hold of what Pelant had unleashed - it was a prudent measure.' Hacker thought that was spoken like a true, slippery diplomat; but it didn't impress or placate him. The President went on with an air or arrogance, 'The world looks to us for stability and reassurance in troubled times. Pelant's worm could've given us back some control, stability and leverage.'

'And, of course, you didn't want _our _nations secrets to become common knowledge either…' The President paused his slow walk around the oval table, and looked directly into Hacker's eyes. His emotions not discernable on his features nor in his body language but Hacker knew he'd hit a tender spot on him somewhere.

'No. But I have a duty to the people - to keep them safe.'

'By _kidnapping _Professor Liskov, _assassinating _a foreign national in cold blood, withholding vital information, _bugging _me, a prosecutor, members of the Jeffersonian team - how does that keep the _people _safe?' Luggia wanted the elevators doors to open so he could run in and get away; he couldn't believe Hacker was being so forthright and balls-y with his terse comments.

'Ignorance is bliss, Assistant Director Hacker…' Hacker huffed at that feeble excuse; the President caught it though, continuing, 'Most in this country aren't interested in politics, not the _real _politics and especially not _international _politics. They're not interested in computer worms that can tell them who killed who fifty years ago or whether we landed on the moon in 69.' Hacker could hear the strain in his voice when he continued, 'They're _very _interested in keeping their jobs, _homes_, putting a decent meal on the dinner table, and being able to put their kids through college. Some only give a _shit _about the Phillies next win; or where they can score the cheapest dope, and who is gonna win American _fucking _Idol!' Their was a collective flinch from the room. But now the President calmly continued his slow circumnavigation of the table and silent men and one woman who sipped water from her frosted glass. 'You have to remember, Assistant Director Hacker, the FBI asked _me _to intervene - to sanction the breaking of laws this country supposedly holds dear but turns a blind eye to when those laws are broken to keep them safe. Now you seem angry at _me _for doing that, you can't have it both ways. Once the genie is out of the bottle, I assure you, it's fucking nightmare to put it back in - but I've put it back in now.'

'_We _put the genie back in the bottle - Sir,' Hacker corrected, treading a very fine line with the tetchy President. Luggia kicked his shin under the table, agitatedly fingering his empty glass, hoping to stem the flow of his side-swipes at the President.

The President halted again at Hacker's shoulder, then lent down to say in his ear, 'Actually, you're _wrong _- who do you think gave the order for Apri-cot to step down outside that tunnel - to not kill you to get Pelant? I could've easily sanctioned that order - others have before me in similar situations. But I chose to keep you and your friends - _safe_. _I _handed you the victory - such as it was...' Hacker swallowed, humbled. The President stood upright again, patting firmly on Hacker's shoulder. 'Anyway, it's all over now, thankfully.'

'One more question, if I may, seeing as we're being so candid, Mister President…' He turned, and nodded slightly for him to ask it. 'Was it you that sanctioned the assassination of Nikolay?'

'No - _his _Government requested it if the opportunity arose - I only obliged that request in the interests of détente.'

'I see. So their shame and the secret can be kept while the _people _stayed ignorant of what had happened and what could have happened here?' The President tipped his head slightly to almost agree, expressionless.

He walked back into the shadows with, 'Good afternoon, Assistant Directors…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Simultaneously**

**Ethan Sawyer's Grave**

When Bones stepped out of her Prius she could already see someone standing beside Ethan's small grave, and recognised them. She walked between the headstones slowly, and over the trimmed sunlight grass, and came to the woman's side in silence. A fresh posy of freesias she'd brought lay on his plaque, and she had her eyes closed in memory. Bones noted her ivory blouse was pretty but inside out, and her frumpy skirt was zipped up but not turned on her hips. She wore black Crocs and a lipstick colour that would suit a seventeen year old not a fifty-something. Bones thought she looked weird, dishevelled and in confused grief. Saying nothing Bones placed her posy alongside hers, then stood quiet and thoughtful. The woman opened her eyes, and looked to her left, unusually still. Bones turned her head too, and they shared an affectionate smile. 'Thank you,' Bones said after a respectful few moments.

Professor Liskov looked back to Ethan's grave, and asked, 'For what?'

'For stalling them - for not telling them that you deciphered Ethan's code, knowing they would try to stop Angela from wiping out Pelant's worm.'

Liskov replied dead flat, as if she didn't have a clue what she was talking about, 'I didn't do anything, Doctor Brennan.'

'Precisely, Professor Liskov - that's why I say, _thank _you.'

Liskov looked into Bones' eyes, then looked around them suspiciously. 'Miss Montenegro -,' she began secretively, 'is a _remarkable _talent.' Bones nodded to confirm the obvious. 'I'd very much like to meet her one day.'

'I'm sure that can be arranged.'

'Good. But until then, could you tell her to watch her back. I would be most distressed if she were to disappear before that time.'

Bones crinkled her brow as her mind calculated and digested her cryptic comment. 'You're implying she's…' Bones trailed off when Liskov raised an unkempt brow. 'That's why you didn't help me when I came to you about Ethan, wasn't it? _You _were being watched by them…'

Liskov looked around again, 'We still are, Doctor Brennan - even more so now. Minds like ours; Ethan, Pelant, Angela, me, we're all _very _interesting people apparently…' Bones looked down to Ethan's grave and the pretty flowers they'd laid to cheer the granite slab. She felt Professor Liskov walk away but didn't let her eyes follow her. But on hearing a loud thump and groan Bones snapped her eyes in her direction. Covering her mouth with her palm in an attempt to stop laughing, Bones trotted over to Liskov. She appeared to have tripped on a small plaque headstone and was flailing on the grass like a beached whale with her legs asunder. Bones squinted one eye, trying not to look when she saw that in her haste to dress this morning, the quirky Professor had forgotten the importance of underwear when wearing a skirt.

Helping her up, Bones asked, between biting her lip, 'Oh! Professor, are you ok?'

'_Bloody _headstones -,' she muttered indignantly, 'damn stupid place to leave one - I could have been _killed_!'

Unable to control it any longer, Bones started to laugh. 'Haa. This _is _a graveyard - you expect to find them here.' Liskov brushed herself down, glaring at Bones, who covered her teeth with her lips, trying not to laugh anymore.

Seeing her so amused softened Liskov, and brought back a memory which she shared, 'Ethan would've laughed himself inside out seeing me make a complete fool of myself like that.' Bones grinned hard, and nodded, handing over her purse and ridiculous straw boater.

'He did have a wonderful sense of humour - when he was compos mentis.'

'That he did,' Liskov confirmed affectionately, slipping a foot back in her Croc. Then she said, obviously feeling awkward and out of her social depth, 'I'm told it's appropriate to reminisce about the dead at times like these.' Bones nodded. 'Do you think it appropriate that we should reminisce about our mutual friend together, say, over coffee?'

Charmed, Bones smiled, looped her arm with the bizarre woman, and led her away, saying, 'I think that's wholly appropriate, Professor Liskov…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Later**

**Booth & Bones' Residence**

Pulling up on the drive, and locking the car, Bones could already hear Parker, Booth and Christine in the back garden screaming and hollering their fun. It brought a huge smile to her face, and she hurriedly opened the door to join them.

Throwing her purse down on the kitchen island, she stripped off her jacket, and trotted out into the garden past Parker's case, and remembered he was being picked up later by Rebecca.

When she stepped out into the garden, she beamed at the sight. Christine was strapped into a swing that was suspended under a bough where the tree house was built through, and laughing uncontrollably as Parker and Booth played a manic game of tag around the sturdy trunk and her. A picnic lunch was already set up in the shade of the broad tree and waiting for her to join them: that really touched her.

Spotting her, Christine called out to her causing Booth to come to a panting standstill, and look over. 'Oh! Hey, Bones, how did it go?' Parker raced straight into the immovable object of Booth, and flattened in a heap on the grass with a stunned groan. 'Oh. _Shoooot_, you alright, Son?' Booth picked him up, checking him out. Laughing at their comedic caper, Bones came over to check Parker out too.

'Daaad, you're waay too hard,' Parker said, brushing himself down. Bones saw the potential for a double entendre about this morning but didn't let it lose on seeing Booth glare at her. So she just grinned, waggling her brows not so innocently.

'Follow my finger,' Bones insisted seriously. Parker knocked it way playfully with a snigger for her overprotection.

'I'm fine, Bones. Lunch is ready. You were _ages _and I'm starving!' He plonked himself down on the chequered rug, and began to tuck in. Booth hugged her close, and rolled her tight in his arms, staring into her eyes, waiting for her answer to Parker's question.

Bones rubbed her hands up and down his back, with a sensuous smile, sensing Booth was frisky again. He smelt fresh but was a little moist from all their running about and had a compulsion to lick him, but didn't. She kissed his lips instead. Christine called her again, so she let go of her man, and picked Christine out of the swing, telling them, 'It went fine. I met Professor Liskov there and we went for coffee - it was nice.' Bones made a loving fuss of Christine as they all sat on the rug, and tucked in.

'Dad and me took Christine shopping and brought her that swing and fixed it up - do-ya-like it?' he asked, already knowing what she was going to say but was excited by the fun they'd had securing it.

'Its wonderful, Parker!' Bones gushed, getting a boy-sized appendage as Parker cuddled up to her. 'Christine's obviously in enamoured with it.'

Then Booth said softly, and proudly, 'Parker insisted he pay for it out of his vacation money.' Bones gasped, shocked he'd offered and secondly for Booth allowing him to purchase it.

Parker blushed, and moaned, 'Daaaad, you said you wouldn't tell?'

'Yeah, well, Bones and me don't have any secrets - I tell her _everything_,' he defended, staring into her eyes with a reflective smile.

'Parker, that is so generous but we can't let you pay for it - that…' she trailed off when Parker shook his head violently: his wild hair tossed like ripened corn.

'It's _done_, Bones,' he said sternly. 'I haven't spent a dime of my money and I've had a _unbelievable _vacation with you - I just wanted to say thanks for my room, and treat my little Sis.' Bones looked to Booth who shrugged a shoulder, so Bones kissed his head through his hair, and graciously accepted his gift.

'A sincere thank you from Christine and us then.' Booth grinned, giving her a sexy wink.

'You're welcome,' he said casually, flopping flat to the rug, and staring up through the leaves of the tress while chewing on his pita wrap.

Booth changed the subject: obviously in a playful mood, 'Hey, what do elephants and swings have in com..?' Booth trailed off when they heard the door bell sound and so did their smiles. Parker sat up, although he was deflating inside. Booth said softly, 'There's ya Mom.' Parker looked at Christine and Bones, and sighed.

'Yeah, I better go then.' Booth nodded with a bolstering smile for him, knowing he didn't want to go nor get back to school.

'No, you wait here, and eat your lunch - I'll go,' Bones said, getting up, and taking Christine with her.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Twenty Minutes Later**

**Driveway**

Parker gave Christine a sweet peck on the cheek as she scrunched his hair in her fingers, and tugged him closer, doing her wet kiss routine on him. Parker giggled getting a sloppy wet cheek for his trouble, and wiped it dry. 'Bye, Sis. Stay cute.' Kissing Bones, and giving her a hug he looked up into her eyes, and smiled, saying softly, 'I'm so glad things worked out.' She caressed his jaw, and placed a tender kiss on his brow.

'Thank you for _everything_, Parker. We'll see you very soon, ok?' Parker felt a lump fill his throat but swallowed hard to dislodge it. Booth walked him to the car, with Rebecca already waiting, and drumming her fingers on the steering wheel. Parker waved again, then got in the car, and buckled up. Booth watched them drive off, and turned with a smile, but he lost it seeing Bones look very broken suddenly. He strode back fast, asking before he got to them. 'What, what is it?'

Taking a breath for courage, Bones relayed the message as gently as she could, 'Rebecca told me she's moving to England with her job - for three years - maybe longer. She insisted I tell you _after _they left…' Booth snapped his eyes back down the empty street. Bones knew what his question was without hearing it, stepped closer to take his hand, and answered it, 'Apparently yes, Parker knew. He's known all summer, Booth…'

Booth felt his eyes burn. 'He _never _said… Oh. Bones, why didn't he say _anything_?' Booth questioned incredulously, feeling the bottom drop out of his heart.

Rubbing his back, Bones said tenderly, 'You had enough to deal with, Booth. I expect he didn't want to burden you any more...'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Two Days Later **

**Highway 163 - Heading South**

**Monument Valley**

**Navajo Nation Reservation**

The seminal grandiose vista that most on the planet would recognise as the Big Country, loomed spectacularly large ahead: cut through by a straight tarmac road ridden by nine black-clad Hells Angels. The weathered red sandstone buttes of Monument Valley rose from the desert floor, blistered by a demon sun where clouds were terrified away: and were clawed by a blue sky so wide and high its end unimaginable. Like birds heading south for the winter, in a migrating formation, the Chapter of Harley's took up both sides of the highway in a respectful procession. En route they'd been joined by other Chapters to swell their numbers as the word had spread a brother had died. No other vehicles over took, all the rest pulled over to give them room and due respect. This was his last requested ride; to his resting place and to the land of his childhood home; taken by the friends that knew him best, and as Chester Zah, AKA, Daniel/Wormwood.

At the head of the procession of black and sparkling chrome, one rider had the honour of carrying Chester's ashes. In a maple box wrapped in the Stars and Stripes Chester's remains took pride of place on the handlebars. Once a Marine that served in Vietnam, Chester had been proudly American and born an even prouder Navajo: raised on the reservation they were heading towards.

Turning off the highway the procession headed to Window Rock known by the Native Americans as Tseghahoodzani. The tarmac petered out for a sightseeing, rough track that arched around the majestic natural monuments; billowing a storm of dust in their wakes. On reaching the base of Window Rock the bikes spread out in a line: an honour guard, and finally turned off their thundering engines at the end of their long journey. Five Navajo and one woman in traditional clothing were waiting for their arrival. The friend with the honour got off his bike, detached Chester's ashes, and took from his pocket a large a flat box; Chester's most treasured possession.

Placing the smaller box on top of his ashes, the solemn Angel handed over both to Chester's last surviving, tearful sister. She gave him a slow, deep nod, then opened the small box. She smiled through her tears. It was her father's Gold Congressional Medal that Chester had posthumously been awarded by the President in 2001 in recognition of his father. Dine Zah, had been one of the original 29 Navajo Code Talkers enlisted to the Marines in WWII and his stories had inspired his son to follow in his hallowed footsteps.

Hovering to the side of the honour guard with tears threatening to fall behind his dark shades, Max and Maria watched as Chester's sister walked up the small track towards the window in the rock and to the sky. Flanked by her family, she sprinkled Chester's ashes: giving him back to the earth.

Max had a flashback to when they first met in a seedy bar while he was on the run not long after Christine had been killed. Drowning his sorrows and grief in a bottle of scotch, he'd picked a fight hoping to be permanently numbed by Chester's Chapter who where hanging out. Chester saw his obvious pain, and refused to engage with him but Max remembered how insistent he was about his death wish. Chester had finally flattened him for his own good with a brain-rattling right hook, that sent him crashing over a pool table. Then he picked him up by the scruff and dragged him outside. It was then that Max, in his drunken stupor, asked him before he died:

**((**_**'**__What's with the Route 81 patch? You've all got'em. Waz it mean?' _

_Chester stalled, looked at the patch on his leather jacket, then gave him a smile. Most made assumptions about Hells Angels: their hard reputations, aggressive and frightening looks, and the air of lawlessness that went with them all made them social pariahs. But it was rare that anyone stopped to ask or look through to the person underneath the intimidating façade, so Chester kindly enlightened him, 'Eight and one are the numbers that represent H and A in the alphabet; Hells Angels. All our brothers wear 'em.' _

_Believing his end was finally coming, but not sure if he truly wanted it, Max slurred, 'Oh… Are ya gonna kill me now?' _

_Chester dragged him to his stolen car, and flung him inside to cool off and sober up. 'The 81's have a motto -,' Chester replied, "when we do right, nobody remembers, when we do wrong, nobody forgets"…' _

_Sprawled out in the back of his car, Max blinked almost to sober, and focused on Chester's compassionate eyes, confirming he'd never forget his lifesaving deed, '__**I'll **__remember…' Then they shared a smile and that was the start of their long friendship._**))**

Max snapped out of his memory when the bikes roared again, and rode away. He softly pecked Maria's cheek. When all was quiet, and sand settled, Max walked up the same path Chester's family had taken alone, and looked around the endless gorgeous view. He took off his cap and glasses, confirming again to his old friend, 'I'll remember…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Simultaneously**

**Jeffersonian Lab**

**Platform**

With a gaggle of impressed and intrigued work colleagues gathered around her, Daisy began demonstrating her new prosthetic arm and its remarkable dexterity. She couldn't help but feel flattered by all the attention she was receiving: the sympathy and good will they generously swamped her with.

With her usual exuberance she explained, drawing attention to the likeness to her real arm, 'You can observe, implanted in the skin, tiny _real _human hairs -,' they all nodded and cooed, stroking her forearm, 'The flesh tone was matched to my own and it can even be darkened by cosmetics to simulate a tan - so it won't look odd when I get one. But I don't intend to go on vacation anytime soon. I just want to get back to work as soon as possible. Doctor's Brennan and Saroyan say my skills are invaluable here, so I don't want to let them down…' Most agreed wholesomely but Clarke rolled his eyes, hearing her waffle on self-importantly.

'It's taken me sometime and much practise to master it. I just have to _think _what I'd like it to do - the brain connects with the chip, here, and relays the message to the relevant mechanics. I shall demonstrate.' Clarke curiously edged a little closer behind the gaggle to watch what she was going to do. 'Please note - I _think _about picking up the pen off the flat surface, place the hand over it, aaand pinch.' They all clapped when she picked it up, even Clarke cocked a brow, seeing how nimble the digits were. 'Now I shall try something _very _difficult - typing.' She went over to a computer, and sat down. 'As you can imagine, typing efficiently is a skill learnt over time with perfect synchronicity between fingers and brain so please forgive if I'm slow and make a few mistakes at first.' The gaggle of white coats that huddled, peered over her shoulders, offering her pats of encouragement. One of her colleagues, eager to get a good view, accidentally turned on the high-tech machine next to the computer but nobody noticed. Daisy began to type: _the quick brown vulpe jumped over the lazy canine__**, **_with rapid faultless aplomb to a round of gasps and spontaneous applause. Emboldened Daisy encouraged, 'Now, just to prove that wasn't a fluke give me something else to type.'

Clarke piped up from behind them all, with hands in his lab coat pockets, 'Supercallafradgalisticexpial lydocious.'

Daisy smiled arrogantly, and began typing exuberantly but as the machine immediately to her right warmed up, the magnetic pull of its spinning magnets snapped her arm out cracking into someone's face. 'OOH!' The unfortunate receiver of the stunning blow was sent crashing to the floor, clutching their broken nose. While Daisy struggled to pull her arm off the machine, fighting with it, she yelled, 'Turn it off! Turn it off!' There was pandemonium on the platform which left Clarke laughing his head off as he ambled back to his office…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Belarus**

It was a grey cold afternoon befitting a sombre funeral. A blustery wind from the east howled bringing with it a chilling downpour that flattened the meadow. Huddled under an umbrella, Genny glanced to Thierry beside her then to Helga stood beside him, who was mopping tears from her cheeks. They had just handed over Nikolay's ashes to his Sister and Mother who were scattering them over the lush meadow that was once their family's small holding. But the meadow looked tired and unloved now but once had held good memories and rippled with the haunting echoes of carefree laughter. The heavy weeping skies matched their heavy moods.

'This is crazy, I can't believe I'm crying. I only knew him for twenty hours…' Helga remarked, sniffing, and trying to staunch her tears. Thierry, Genny noticed, slipped his arm around her shoulder sensitively.

'How long you were together is irrelevant, Helga, only what you had in that time matters. It can take an instant to fall in love or a lifetime.' Thierry said thoughtfully with his eyes fixed on the grieving family. Genny thought that was a lovely thing to say and relevant, and not just for Helga. She looked back to Nikolay's family as they came over, holding each other and an umbrella over their heads to ward off the pounding rain.

'We're so sorry,' Genny said again, sympathetically touching the forearm of his Mother. The old lady patted it, and smiled, unable to speak English but understood what Genny had offered.

Her daughter could speak English though, and said, 'No, _we _are sorry. It is so evil and terrible what he has done. All because Nikolay refused to accept the truth.'

'Which was?'

'That my father went to help at Chernobyl because he _wanted _to, not because he was ordered. He knew the risks all along and never wanted compensation because he believed he was helping his countrymen. He wanted to save lives and homes. He was awarded a medal by the government which was recognition enough for him - but not for Nikolay.'

Genny could sense their grief mingled with shame and thought that too sad and unfair to Nikolay. So she glanced to Thierry, then offered kindly, 'He may have been misguided but he tried to put right what he'd done wrong. If it wasn't for Nikolay we wouldn't have caught this man in time and saved many lives. Please remember that when you think of him…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_! **

**Belarus **

**Airport**

'That's my last call. I better go,' Genny said, standing, and pulling up the handle on her carryon case, feeling awkward and desperately sad. Thierry stood too just as confused, and looking it. He walked with her to the gate. 'I hope you're not delayed too long.'

'No-no, its crazy. Your flight is across the Atlantic mine a third of the distance and…' he trailed off, feeling an idiot for babbling on about something so inane when he had so much to say to her. But he couldn't get the words straight or out of his mouth.

Genny nodded, understanding what he meant about the flights anyway, and laughed a little too falsely. She regrouped quickly. 'Well -,' Genny handed her boarding card over to the hostess, then offered her hand and a smile to Thierry, 'Goodbye, Thierry.' Thierry slipped his hand in hers, nodding, then looked up into her eyes as he kissed the back of it. Genny had a hell of a job from not bursting into tears and sobbing her misery on his shoulder.

Thierry stuttered, 'I… I…' Genny smiled wider, and stroked his jaw with her free palm understandingly. He closed his eyes, and treasured the sensation of her delicate touch one last time.

'It wouldn't, couldn't work,' she braved, vocalizing what they were both thinking and knew; it would only be prolonging the inevitable.

He added to the list, 'We have our careers and children.' Opening his watery eyes, he looked up into hers again.

Seeing his deep sadness: mirroring her, she whispered sweetly, 'Oh. Please don't make this harder for either of us, Thierry. We had a mad, _incredible _two weeks together that I'll _never _forget…' She wrapped her arms around his neck on tip toes, and felt him squeeze her with such tenderness her tears betrayed her.

Thierry whispered lovingly into her ear, 'Au revoir, Genny, a la FBI…'

Before she dissolved, and with just enough courage for both of them she kissed his cheek hard, then released him. Grabbing her boarding card, she walked through the gate without looking back; proverbially ripping off the Band-Aid.

Thierry watched her walk away quickly, with his hands on his hips, twitching on the spot. Feeling lost, dazed and heart already aching, he wiped his cheeks once he couldn't see her anymore, then retook his seat to wait for his call back to Lyon and his life…

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Ange & Jack's Bunker**

Jack poked his head around her studio door, and dropped a hip with a smile. 'Hey, come on, Ange, we're gonna miss the flight.' She batted him down, then closer with a smile. He came in, and cuddled her from behind.

'I'm almost done. I'm just shredding the last of it.' He nodded, kissing her throat. 'How are the contacts?'

'Fine - I'm getting used to them now.' Ange nodded still with her eyes fixed on the screen of her Angelator and tablet in hand. 'I've shut down everything - ready for the _next _time…'

Ange huffed, and playfully nudged him in the stomach. 'Oh - you're soo funny,' she snubbed. Jack sniggered. 'No pressies for you now,' she teased, flicking a wry smile his way.

Jack stopped laughing promptly. 'Gimmy-gimmy,' he urged, panting like a wet-nosed retriever. Ange turned in his embrace, and smooched his lips.

'When's ya birthday?' she asked with an air of mystery.

'Next June - no, _today_!' Ange sniggered now, kissing his excited smile again.

'Ok. This is my early birthday gift to you. Read this _fast - _before I shred it.' His hungry eyes stared at the screen. Then she tapped her tablet and up popped a decrypted file.

She watched as his eyes and mouth widened, and he pointed at the screen, wagging his finger, unable to vocalise anything in his shock for a moment, then blurted, 'I _knew _it! Didn't I tell ya?!' She started to laugh, and kiss him, but he strained to read over her until she gave him a little tongue and he lost interest in the file. He gorged himself on her, while she blindly tapped another key to finally shred it out of existence. The letters and headers disintegrated behind them, then the screen went blank with a pop as it shut down.

On the surface Jack locked down the bunker, and closed the old barn doors, with some relief. 'Come on, we're better run,' Jack urged, taking her hand, and tugging.

'I haven't run since 1992 - I'm not running now,' Ange informed aloofly regal. Jack rolled his eyes, still tugging her along. 'I'll walk briskly that's as much as I'm willing to do.' Jack swooped her up into his arms, and began trotting back to the Mini with her. They giggled all the way there.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Thirty Six Hours Later **

**Hawaii **

**Hen Night**

The rest of the beach bar patrons surreptitiously looked on at the riotous girly fun happening at the far end of the open bar, gossiping and sniggering at their antics. A traditional band were backing the laughter, drinking and the hypnotic sound of the warm ocean tumbling onto the shore.

'You have to drink it in one go, Sweetie - itza tradition!' Ange ordered, beaming at Bones, giving her shoulder a playful shove. Bones looked at the sixth coconut shell filled with a cocktail, this one dubiously called a Screaming Orgasm, and took a deep breath. She seriously doubted she'd feel anything after five of these cocktails let alone scream, but knew she couldn't get out of it. Maria, Caroline, Cam, Michele and Genny nodded their encouragement with hopeful smiles as wide as the sunset filling the space above the ocean behind them. Bones shook her head, flung the crazy straw over her shoulder, and began to gulp it down to their cheers, whoops and laughter. The liquid dribbled down her cheeks and neck into her lei, not realising Ange was already ordering another round of cocktails: the next on the extensive beach bar list. After downing it, she threw the husk over her shoulder onto the sand with a smack of her lips to clatter into the rest littering the sand. Then Bones promptly, and almost proudly, burped so loud Caroline nearly fell off her barstool with the violent gush of air. That sent everybody into hysterics, even Bones.

'Slippery Nipples - Slippery Nipples!' Ange shouted over the raucous din, as the bartender lined them up in front of the inebriated woman in grass skirts, bikini tops and barefoot.

Bleary eyed, Bones wiped her neck, and looked to her breasts in the cups, saying, 'Yes they are…' very studiously.

'HAAA! No - that's what _these _are called!' Cam pushed one towards her on the counter. Bones oh'ed, and picked it up, sniffed it cautiously, then that disappeared down her gullet too.

Maria belly laughed silently which seemed a curiosity, and sent them into more fits. Ange put the cocktail in her hand, and kissed her cheek, as she half apologised, 'We're not normally like this - not really.' Almost slaughtered, Maria grabbed the drink, and downed it without spilling a drop.

Swallowing her Nipple, and chucking the empty over her shoulder with the rest, Genny, whooped, 'Yeh!' and applauded Maria, saying excitedly, 'Sex On The Beach now!'

Bones looked over to the beach. 'Oh, no I don't fink we ssshould -,' Bones slurred, with a crinkled brow, 'it's very ex-pOsed out there,' she warned in all seriousness, including a burp, gesturing to the beach with so many potential voyeurs walking close to the rolling surf.

Maria started to silently belly laugh again causing Ange to peer into her gaping mouth, then turn her head to listen for any sound. 'Nope, I got nothin'. I fort I'd gone deaf! Haa!' Cam and Genny fell over each other sniggering, wiping tears away, while Caroline slipped off her stool suddenly, shocking everyone almost into silence. She had another problem; a weak bladder and the chronic laughter wasn't helping her control.

'Where ya going - I wanna come?' Bones stood too, looping her arm with her, with an excited smile.

'I'm gonna pee all over this grass skirt if you don't let me go! I can't hold-it - I _can't_!' Caroline swaggered in the direction of the restrooms, holding her crotch. Grimacing, Bones backed off immediately with her palms out. 'GET-OUTTA-WAY!' They saw and heard Caroline fling a much smaller patron aside and out of her way en route, more bellowed laughter ensued.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Hawaii**

**Stag Night **

Hearing the Hen party in full swing up the beach the men; Booth, Max, Jack, Flynn and Sweets all glanced to one another, then started chuckling and shaking their heads incredulously at the unholy racket they were making.

Sitting in a circle around a small fire with a few beers, and toasting marshmallows over it, their party was much more salubrious and understated. Probably because they had Michael and Christine with them, who were fast asleep in their strollers. Last but not least, Parker swelled their relaxed ranks under the glittering stars. He looked absolutely thrilled to have been invited to join the men in the age-old tradition of the Stag Night. Although he secretly wanted to join the ladies, as they sounded as if they were having much more fun. But he wasn't going to complain; he couldn't believe his luck when his Dad had told him he'd arranged and been given permission to take him on vacation with Bones, Christine and the rest. It had been a crazy 24 hours for him. He'd been taken out of school for a week, flown, as previously promised, to Hawaii to jet-set just like Christine had. And not only that, he'd been asked to be a Best Man; an honour he was taking very seriously. He didn't even bat an eyelid when he was told he had to go bare-chested and wear a long skirt and flowers for the evening like the rest.

Sipping his light beer: a one-off treat, Parker asked, 'Are we having strippers later?' There was a snap of silence, then the men started to laugh and shake their heads.

'N'aaah,' Booth droned, nudging Parker in the ribs playfully as he sulked. 'We're being responsible - someone's gotta be,' he explained wryly, gesturing to the sleeping tots. 'We'll get our chance to let our hair down tomorrow at the luau.'

'Booooring,' Parker retorted but unable to shift his elated smile for just being able to stay up and hang out with the men. Everyone sniggered again, then resumed instructing Parker on the steep learning curve he was to experience through adolescence when it came to women. 'Let me get this straight - when a girls asks do I look ok, even if she doesn't, I should say she looks _amazing _and lie?'

'Yep - if you wanna see your next birthday - _always_,' Sweets clarified, accompanied by deadly serious slow nods from the others.

'_Check_,' Parker said, ticking off that on his mental list of do's and don't's. Just then there was another ripple of cackles that drifted towards them on the sultry salty breeze, and they looked towards the prettily lit bar. Another pile of empty coconut shells landed on the sand outside the bar. Parker smirked. 'Maybe, we should go _spy _on them?' A chorus of shocked and outraged looks of disapproval were sent back to Parker for his sneaky plan.

'_No_! It's bad luck and totally against the age-old tradition to see the bride before the wedding -,' Max snapped, then warned, 'besides we don't wanna know what they're getting up to. It'll make our hair _frizz_.' Jack and Flynn snorted at his hairless quip.

'Don't we?' Parker asked with a curl of his top lip, but really wanting to sneak a peek, not caring about his hair as it was curly already and Max didn't have any. All the men backed Max up with powerful nods to confirm, studiously reloading their toasting forks with marshmallows.

'Come on, Park, let's get some more beers,' Booth encouraged, seeing him look a little disgruntled and taking pity. Parker followed his Dad back to the beach hut where the men were all staying in tonight. As they got onto the veranda Booth sat on the swing, and patted the space beside him: inviting Parker to sit with him.

Parker caught his expression, and asked, 'What's up, Dad - you look really worried about something - you should be major happy?'

'I am, _really _happy. And proud. And touched.' Parker didn't know what he meant by that, and queried him with a confused look. Booth rubbed his palms together, then leant forwards over his knees, looking at his sandy feet. Parker mirrored his thoughtful position but looked into his Dad's profile, waiting for an explanation. 'I know your Mom is moving to England with her job…' Parker sagged, and looked down to his toes now, feeling a lump rise in his throat. 'I also know - that you've known about it for months but didn't want to tell me cos you didn't wanna worry me.' Parker nodded a little as they gently swayed on the creaky swing seat.

Parker got it now, all of it. 'That's why Mom let me come to Hawaii and let me get out of school - so I could spend time with you all before we go, isn't it?'

Booth looked into Parker's profile now. 'Something like that. I've gotta ask you something, Parker, but you have to be honest when you answer, _really _honest.' Parker looked at him, and nodded. Booth asked his burning question, fearing his answer, 'Do you want to go to England for three years?'

Parker sighed out, looked up to the stars for an agonising few moments for Booth. 'I'd be in a great school, Dad, and it _is _a cool place to live, London.' Booth nodded to agree. 'Mom says we can go on trips to Europe in the holidays cos it'll be _really _easy and stuff.' Again Booth nodded, with a half-hearted smile. 'I can call you whenever I want - there's Skype and that too. And in the summer vacation I can stay with you for more than a couple of weeks…'

'Yeah, yeah, sure. No - it's a _great _opportunity for you,' Booth gushed, but felt utterly crushed, hearing him sound so positive about the move. 'Seeing all those great places - you'd learn a lot.' Booth patted his back, then with a bigger smile, said, 'That's settled then.' Booth stood to get the beers, but Parker grabbed his hand. Booth looked down into his wet eyes with his heart unravelling.

'But _honestly_, Dad… I don't wanna go - but I don't have a choice.'

Containing his excitement admirably Booth sat down again, taking his hand. 'There's always a choice, Parker. But _if _you could stay with Bones, Chrissy and me, would you want to?'

Parker said with gusto, but lacing it with a sadness which tore at Booth's soul, '_Yes_ - but Mom would never let me stay.'

'No,' Booth confirmed softly, feeling Parker's heartbeat in his palm. 'I asked her if you could stay and she said no.' Parker nodded, looking back to his feet, and swallowing hard. 'But then Bones went and saw her with Christine. She took your mobile to show her how much you loved us and wanted us to be a family. Your Mom is willing to sacrifice those three years with you, Parker - if you _truly _want to stay with us…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Hen Party**

**Moments Later**

Caroline had an inebriated bunch of wonky looking ladies leaning into her to hear her whisper the raunchy punch-line, '… so the lady puffin replied, if that starts spittin' I'm putting on a sou'wester….'

'BA'HAAAAHAAAA!'

Bones was the only one that didn't laugh till her sides hurt, and muttered, 'I dunno know what dat means.' Then jumping up from her stool, Bones exclaimed, looking very concerned, 'Oh! My left but-tock has gone inta-spasm, I fink it's the onset of delirium tremes!' She very nearly, but not quite, spilt her Slow Screw Against A Wall. Maria instantly grabbed her buttock, and squeezed. 'Arh! Mariaaaa?' Ange's eyebrows shot to the palm-thatched ceiling while Cam joined in the intimate massage, drunkenly fondling under Bones' grass skirt too. Bones turned on the spot, trying to bat away the twin assaulters.

Highly amused, Cam insisted, 'Its your _cell_, Tempe!'

Bones froze, while her horrified expression dropped away. 'Oh. Of course. For a moment there I thought…' she trailed off when Maria handed her the vibrating cell from her panties, laughing. Bleary eyed and mildly embarrassed, Bones read the text as everyone held their breaths. With eyes filling, Bones looked into each of them, and informed softly, 'Parker's decided to stay…' There was a stillness from them all until Bones smiled with a blinding strength, then they all erupted into cheers and smothered her with warm congratulatory hugs.

Flushed with unbridled joy, Bones ordered the next round and cocktail on the list, 'Barkeep?! Seven _large _Throbbing Clits, Please!'

Laughing, the barkeep retorted, 'Coming _right _up…!'

'WOO-HOO! HAAAAA!'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Much Later**

**Strolling Back Along Beach To The Ladies Hut**

Booth secretly watched from behind a rustling palm, seven very drunk women meander, giggle, and splash about in the surf together. He couldn't help but smile, seeing them fooling around and having the time of their lives. With the heavy yoke of pain and sorrow tossed aside, he thought they looked like weightless water nymphs as they danced barefoot, splashed and rejoiced at being liberated. But it was Bones he couldn't take his eyes off; her carefree smile strengthened his, her swaying hips and rustling skirt inspired him to moan seductively. She looked as light as air: as pretty at the stars above her head, and danced with her arms out-stretched and head tipped back; as if embracing the night and all its sensory pleasures found in the sky; sea, sand and emotion.

He stepped back into the shadows when they finally came back up the beach: heading for bed. They narrowed into single file on the wooden path between the thick palms that backed the beach, and passed him still oozing laughter and naughty gossip no man should overhear.

Ambling Bones was last in the procession, he saw his opportunity, and couldn't contain himself; he just had to talk to her. He snapped his hand over her mouth, and dragged her off the path into the shadows. He was amazed that she grabbed his hand off her mouth, and flipped him over her shoulder in a perfect ippon despite how drunk she was. 'Bones,' he whispered, getting back up, 'its _me_…'

She gasped, dropping her southpaw stance immediately. 'What are ya _do-wing? _- Tradition dictates a separation of males and females before the nuptials - its bad luck.' He pulled her with him deeper into the whispering palms, and away from the beach hut and prying eyes.

'I don't care - I just _had _to see you.' Turning to sticky mush, Bones kissed him, with a cupid-shot smile, still gripping his hand. They listened for a moment, checking they weren't going to be discovered, then set about each other. By the way she was touching, eyeing and kissing him he knew she didn't care about the breaking of the tradition nor being abducted. 'Did you get my message?' She nodded, still smattering his face with urgent lips, blinking to clear her misty eyes. 'He's staying, Bones,' he purred emotionally, with his own jubilant smile.

'Yes. We're a family,' she sighed with such deep emotion it settled in the middle of his chest crushing the air from his lungs. 'I can't imagine being happier than I am right now, not just for me but for you too.'

Her admission touched him beyond measure. 'Oh. Bones.' He nuzzled into her throat, buttering her with sweet kisses, caressing the line of her spine. Booth knew why now she looked like she was floating earlier and opening herself out to everything; that mesmerising display had been sheer elation. 'Me neither - the last time I felt this happy was when we brought Christine into the world.'

Grinning wider, Bones reminded sweetly as she caressed his smile with a thumb, 'Or when we created her - remember?'

Booth rolled his brow against hers, caressing her enticing curves with eyes like his fingertips, catching the intoxicating fragrance of the lei in her hair and garland around her neck. He recalled dreamily, 'Umm. We got lost inside of each other - as close as anyone can get to…'

He trailed off when she requested softly, guiding his hand under her skirt, 'Make us like that memory now,' with iridescent eyes that burned with love for him. 'I want _every_thing we can be - again.' He groaned, feeling his fingers get coated by her already drenched pleats. With her own urgency she removed her panties: temporarily interrupting his intimate caress.

Knowing exactly what she needed, Booth knelt, kissing down her smooth belly, pawing her urgently; their libidos in overdrive. When he sat down on the rough ground; crispy dried palms and sand, he split his loud sarong open, giving her a soft perch of his lap. Bones stepped closer, very close, looking down at him stroking himself; thanking the indigenous Polynesians for their scanty dress code. Her breath hitched with the erotic sizzle that his image caused in her body. She suspected she could grate Parmesan on his defined abs and was soon to gain a pound of heated flesh she deem hers indefinitely. She unknowingly licked her lips seductively, he noted, as if she was already tasting his lightly seasoned flesh on her tongue.

Splitting her skirt, she purred wantonly when he lurched forwards, and lapped at her dewy pussy; just as hungry for her too. Her hands snapped around his head, and pushed him off instantly. Shocked, he looked up, but saw she didn't want or require foreplay she just wanted him and didn't restrain herself. Her mouth was on his as she sat down with a humph, spearing herself through, then slammed her pelvis forward. Her earthy grunt cum wail filled his mouth. Booth could feel the soft hot tip of her cervix butt his notch and knew he was not just planted but firmly rooted; wired into her. Wired into every flaw; strength, thought, memory, emotion and sensation she had. Breaking mouth contact Bones' lips parted, and blazing eyes shot to his with a yearning accusation dripping from her lips, 'Oh. Booth, you never warned me.'

'What about, my beautiful, Temperance,' he asked intense, trembling with the divine shivers running down his spine and up into her that he could feel through his fingertips.

She breathily whispered to him, 'That I could - would experience you this way.' Booth saw her irises pearlize and her chin quiver, and squeezed her flush so they could feel their heartbeats twin. It was as plain as the euphoric tear in her eye and revelatory loving smile on her lips she was wired into him too. 'In essence - its spiritual…' Booth smiled, conveying how moved he was that she admitted to that aloud. Tilting her head, and matching his smile, she then held him preciously. They began to move to their learnt nurturing rhythm: and beat by quickening beat they neared corporeal paradise.

Watching and feeling the wondrous pleasure grow in the other hastened them, urging them on higher and faster for the other. In the absence of anymore drama, emotional pain or fear: with only starlight and love in their eyes, a hellacious ecstasy built between them; uncontrollable and addictive. In their burning crucible she thought she'd never see anything so beautiful as when his eyes latched onto hers, and willed her to soar with him. Bucking wildly on his lap, squeezing the essence out of him, Booth's mantra began as he came, 'Luv-ya-luv-ya,' blistering her insides. She muffled it and her own stinging climatic gasps by kissing him, and snatching that love off his tongue, swallowing it down. The sultry night zephyr caught their remaining slow burning whimpers and final sighs.

Exhausted, Bones laid back with a sated groan, and roll of her head: still delirious. Booth palmed up her moist thighs over her ribs and heaving bosom to her face. She kissed both his palms alternatively, while staring back into his ember-filled eyes, then started to snigger. 'Haa'oh. Booth, I'm _sooo _wasted.'

'Haa. Yeah, but you held it together long enough.' Bones took his hands, and he pulled her up again. 'I better let ya go.' Bones nodded, but sighed again, and held him a little tighter, not wanting to leave him just yet. But on hearing manic shouts of:

"TEMPEEEE! OH-MY-GOD, she might be dead, _drowned_! How could you _lose _her?! TEMPE - OH, BREN! _SWEETIE, SPEAK TO ME_!" Ange wailed to the beach, stars and ocean.

Laughing softly, Bones swiftly uncoupled them, whispering, 'I love you, _love _you - see you tomorrow,' kissing his lips one last time. She grabbed her panties, stole another kisses, and trotted back through the whispering palms to the path. Staying out of sight, Booth followed a few metres behind, listening.

'I'm here, Ange!' Ange, Cam, Genny, Michele, Caroline and Maria all sagged with colossal relief on seeing her safe and unharmed. They looked like they'd sobered up very rapidly to Bones, fearing her untimely, accidental demise. Bones explained, about to lie, 'I was just looking…'

But Bones trailed off when Ange and Cam pointed at her, and exclaimed their outraged accusation, 'Oh. My, _God _- you've had _SEX_!' Booth sniggered, and ran for cover and sanctuary.

'No I… Err.' They peered at her fiercely: a warning for her not to challenge them: she didn't. 'How did…?' Bones half asked incredulously, amazed by their intuition.

Cam barked the unequivocal evidence, '_Panties _in hand, crushed lei, bits of palm in your hair, slippery _nipple _popping out!' Gasping, Bones quickly popped her nipple away, and hid her panties behind her back. Still clutching a large iced Baileys, Cam scolded, 'Too late, we already saw,' then added, scurrilously, 'yoooou _traitor_!'

Bones' expression turned from stunned to a: _I don't give a shit, I got laid - you didn't, _smile which infected all of them.

'Details! We want _luuuu-rid _details right now!' Caroline insisted, ushering Bones back to the beach hut like a scary five-star General. 'Or I'll tell you all about the wild debauched rumpy-pumpy I had with _David_…' All the ladies gasped or gawped at her saucy revelation, forgetting all about Bones' treason. Caroline spun, her skirt flared as she did like a whirling Dervish, and waggled her brows. They all looked to one another, then rushed after Caroline, battering her with filthy questions.

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**The Beach**

**Next Morning**

**Wedding Ceremony **

'Wait! No-_body _move!' Jack hollered, with arms out stretched, looking down to the silver sand, and blinking rapidly. Everyone froze like statues. 'I've lost a contact!' They all looked at him as if he was an alien. 'Oh. It's ok, folks, its there, it just slipped…' Everybody sagged, then started to laugh, taking their seats. Smiling apologetically, Jack encouraged, 'Sorry, carry on. Go ahead…' Ange slapped his arm making him ouch, then snigger.

'Ready?' Bones looped her arm with Max, and kissed his cheek, then they walked slowly over the warm sand between the small congregation gathered on the beach for the brief and simple ceremony. All the Hen party goers wore white and very dark glasses and huge smiles, loaded with black coffee and hangover pills. The sober, lei-adorned men wore equally strong smiles, and stood as they reached the rolling indigo surf. Parker beamed at them, patting the ring in his pocket, standing proudly next to the minister. Max kissed Bones' cheek once again, then she turned away, and took her seat next to Booth with Christine sitting on the sand between his feet in a grass skirt and spade in hand.

Booth whispered in Bones' ear with a tinge of hope, while watching Max and Maria hold hands and stare lovingly into one another as the minister began the ceremony, 'That'll be us soon.'

With eyes fixed on Maria and Max, smiling strongly, coyly Bones' whispered back, 'Mmm. Quite possibly…'

**!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!_!**

**Simultaneously **

**Ange & Jack's Bunker**

The Angelator flickered to life. Then appearing at the bottom right hand side of the massive screen a six digit code appeared and flashed for a few moments. Then the numbers dissolved and evolved into a cute pink pig animation with a stamp on its rump that read: Jasper. It trotted up and down the bottom of the screen, snuffling happily, looking for a way out and sustenance. Finding neither it stopped dead centre of the screen, then tortuously, grotesquely sprouted another head: a hungry wolfs, and howled into the darkness…

**THE END**

**A/N: **Phew…. *sagging* Finally its over - or is it? No! I'm not starting all that shit again. I'm well and truly done, you'll be glad to know, I'm sure. You wanted and deserved a bit of fluff to finish off so I hope you enjoyed it…?

I've been truly overwhelmed by the responses and the loyalties shown by you to this '_faction' _piece. (A mixture of fiction and fact) And I feel compelled to thank those generous readers now. And not just those who dropped me a line during this marathon: those that I've noticed have followed the story. But first, indulge me, please, as I bring up a few truths in the plot that may, or not, interest you:

**Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant Disaster: **On 26 April 1986, at 01:23, reactor four suffered a catastrophic power increase, leading to explosions in its core. This dispersed large quantities of radioactive fuel and core materials into the atmosphere and ignited the combustible graphite moderator. The burning graphite moderator increased the emission of radioactive particles, carried by the smoke, as the reactor had not been encased by any kind of hard containment vessel… From 1986 to 2000, 350,400 people were evacuated and resettled from the most severely contaminated areas of Belarus, Russia, and Ukraine. According to official post-Soviet data, about 60% of the fallout landed in Belarus. The government coverup of the Chernobyl disaster was a "catalyst" for Glasnost, which "paved the way for reforms leading to the Soviet collapse." Only after radiation levels set off alarms at the Forsmark Power Plant in Sweden, over 1000 kilometres from the Chernobyl Plant, did the Soviet Union admit that an accident had occurred. Shortly after the accident, firefighters arrived to try to extinguish the fires. First on the scene was a Chernobyl Power Station firefighter brigade under the command of Lieutenant Volodymyr Pravik, who died on 9 May 1986 of acute radiation sickness. They were not told how dangerously radioactive the smoke and the debris were, and may not even have known that the accident was anything more than a regular electrical fire. 240,000 recovery workers were called upon in 1986 and 1987 and special certificates were given to 600,000, recognizing them as liquidators. (Clean-up workers.) In 2006 the liquidators held a rally in Kiev to complain about deteriorated compensation and medical support. Late in 1997 the WHO linked nearly 700 cases of thyroid cancer among children and adolescents to the disaster…

**Biblical Revelations: **You can find the passage in Revelations where Wormwood is mentioned in: 8: 10, 11 as I quoted verbatim in the story. _Artemisia Absinthium_ (mugwort or common **wormwood**) is one of several species in the genus Artemisia which have common names that include the word mugwort. Mugwort is called _chornobylnik_ in Ukrainian, and has given its name to the abandoned city of Chernobyl. (_Chornobyl_ in Ukrainian).Wormwood is mentioned seven times in the Jewish Bible and once in the New Testament, always with the implication of bitterness. It is an ingredient in the spirit absinthe, and is used for flavouring in some other spirits and wines, including bitters and vermouth. There is a 'conspiracy' theory that the Wormwood connection to the Ukrainian name for the plant (Chernobyl) and the disaster in '86 have proved the biblical text accurate due to the resulting long term cancer deaths projected from the lasting radioactive contamination. (Spooky, eh?)

**Nerve Agent VX: **As a chemical weapon, it is classified as a weapon of mass destruction by the UN in UN Resolution 687. VX is the most toxic nerve agent ever synthesized. The production and stockpiling of VX was outlawed by the Chemical Weapons Convention of 1993. With its high viscosity and low volatility, VX has the texture and feel of motor oil. This makes it especially dangerous, as it has a high persistence in the environment. It is odourless and tasteless, and can be distributed as a liquid, both pure and as a mixture with a polymer in the form of thickened agent, or as an aerosol. Worldwide, VX disposal has continued since 1997 under the mandate of the Chemical Weapons Convention. In Russia, the US is providing support for these destruction activities with the Nunn-Lugar Global Cooperation Initiative. Another destruction plant for Russia, built for €140 million and paid for by Germany, opened at Potshep, Bryansk Oblast, in only countries known to possess VX are the US, Russia, and SYRIA… *insert scary pause* In several nations the nerve agent antidotes are issued for military personnel in the form of an auto-injector such as the United States military Mark I & II ATNAA. (Antidote Treatment Nerve Agent Auto-injector). Five days ago the BBC reported that the Syrian government had moved its chemical weapons stockpile for _safety _reasons…

**Hells Angels: **The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club (**HAMC**) is a worldwide motorcycle club whose members typically ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles and is considered an organised crime syndicate by the U.S. Department of Justice… (Ooookaaay…?) The name "Hells Angels" was inspired by the typical naming of squadrons, (wing insignia) or other fighting groups, with a fierce, death-defying title in both World War I and World War II, e.g., the Flying Tigers. Common nicknames for the club are the "H.A.", "Red & White", and "The 81's. (H and A being the eighth and first letters of the alphabet.) I'm honoured know two 'patched' Hells Angels from the same Chapter: they ride their immaculate bikes to rallies & shows, do untold charitable works and have 'normal' careers in ordinary walks of life. They're _not _racist, violent or in the least bit lawless. I speak as I find - so make your own judgments.

**Nano Chips: **Through its, National Nanotechnology Initiative, the USA has invested 3.7 billion dollars into research & development. The European Union has invested 1.2 billion and Japan 750 million dollars. Prosthetics, such as artificial hands, can now be made to mimic the appearance of real hands, complete with freckles, veins, hair, fingerprints and even tattoos. Some are so advance they, by link of chips, convert electrical signals from the muscles to the limb to move it… Now, there's way too much literature to batter you with here but if you're interested check out Wikipedia's Prosthetics hub and advanced chip technology pages & links. It'll blow your mind… Did you catch the report that bees were fitted with micro-transmitters the other day? If dogs can be micro-chipped so can we…

**HIV& STD's - Virgin Cleansing Myth**: Most prevalent in Zimbabwe and South Africa, the myth is perpetuated by traditional healers advising HIV-positive men to cure their disease by having sex with virgin girls. As many as 3,600 girls in Zimbabwe each year may be contracting HIV and AIDS after being raped. Some people are of the belief that the blood produced by raping a virgin will cleanse the infected person's blood of the disease - NOT TRUE!

So - to the thanks. I'm going to list the names of those that have religiously, and so generously, felt the need to leave reviews: from those that have hated me - to those that then loved me - eventually. (Ha) From nameless Guests to recurring faceless friends that popped up to thrill my heart with emotional comments, theories and great suggestions and encouragement. You've all made me, at some point, laugh out loud, shed a tear, sigh, gasp and kept me going through a few tough personal months. My deepest thanks goes to:

**Boneslady**: who is a lady indeed, as is the gracious _**Severine L **_& the sublime **Jsboneslover**; and all these awesome prolific reviewers; _**Love2Read2Much**_, (CP- mercy.), **Marceline19** (Wow.) _**Squintwannabe**_. **OoopsAmObsessed, **who loved the action packed bits, just like, _**BnB447**_; **JenE**, (Luv ur joy!), _**NCIS FTW**_, (adored the cheers at the end BTW), and the delicious **Beckbones**, (blood-lust quenched now, dear friend?), _**Maneu**_, (With me all the way. X), **Liselle Hunt** & _**TheDogo**_. Then there were these that made me snigger; **Loverofbones**, _**SammieAtHome**_, **Suki**, _**Fluffybird**_, and **PARMR. **Oh. And the fab lovers of B&B fluff - high-fiveing; **DWBBFan, **_**Dovepage1**_**, **who struggled but bravely got with the program eventually. *wink* , **Alexindigo**, _**Maryfan**_, and this splendid reviewer with the brilliant handle: **SchwupDiDupsi**.

Massive hugs and sloppy kisses to these amazing Bones lovers too; **Rangers042376 **(Yep, thought the clown a funky twist. They wig me out too. *wink*, _**Lliaaame**_, (wow, thx), **JANE**, _**Auntof3 **_and **Tartantrace**! Are you looking for your name? Well, It's coming up. Yes, I've re-read all your comments and will treasure them. Not least from these; **Flute1952**, _**ErynGrace**_, (by name and nature), **Gemma250**, *waves* _**Crys82 **_and not forgetting **Mayakasti**! And if you get reviews from these, you just know you've done ok - **Greened Ink**, _**Bookwormlady**_, the effervescent **DIKO - ***Curtseys' *, _**Nyre The Black Rose**_, **SilverMaker**, _**Danni2297 **_and of course… **Daffodil101**.

Woe betide me if I miss out sincere thanks to these gilded goddesses too; **Tembo**, _**Long Beach State**_, **Fofie675**, _**Sandy Holl**_, **Lipush**, _**Tenison**_, and **Fhtma24. Wercomingup, **_**C**_**-**_**bones**_**, Pasha54, **_**BonesBooth **_as well! Then last but NEVER least; **Bonesisgreat **(sure is), _**AussieBonesFan**_, **TmKearney**, _**Goingdutch**_, **Gemma**, and _**TheSquintMe**_.

To all the many **Guest **reviewers too, humble thanks for all the giggles and metaphorical punches you gave so sweetly and positively. I've left one reviewer till last because this one has confirmed for me it's not what you say, or how often you say it, but its that you're still reading my shit in spite of everything - **Cheysma2000**. The sweetest hugs. XX.

I'm _pretty _sure I haven't left anybody out but if I have - I'm soooo friggin' sorry. A heartfelt _thank _you to ALL for reading, reviewing & inspiring. Love, squishy hugs and kisses. Until our paths cross again, keep safe & smiling. Lebxeb XX. Twitter: at Bexbel.


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